Wasps (Insecta : Vespida = Hymenoptera) from the Purbeck and Wealden (Lower Cretaceous) of southern England and their biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental significance
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| Authors: | Rasnitsyn, AP; Jarzembowski, EA; Ross, AJ |
| Year: | 1998 |
| Journal: | Cretac. Res. 19: 329-391 |
| Title: | Wasps (Insecta : Vespida = Hymenoptera) from the Purbeck and Wealden (Lower Cretaceous) of southern England and their biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental significance |
| Abstract: | This is the first comprehensive study of the insectan order Vespida (Hymenoptera) in the English non-marine Lower Cretaceous (Purbeck and Wealden strata). The fauna includes diverse sawflies, parasitoid and aculeate wasps but with the exception of social groups. The stratigraphical occurence and fossiliferous localities are reviewed by AJR. The wasps are revised, described, and keyed out by APR and EAJ who erect 10 new genera and 35 new species: Undatoma stigmatica sp. nov., U. rudgwickensis sp. nov., U. bicolor sp. nov. (Xyelotomidae); Trematothorax clementsi sp. nov., T. valdensis sp. nov. (Sepulcidae); Eosyntexis tuffinae sp. nov. (Anaxyelidae); Turgonalus cooperi sp. nov. (Trigonalidae); Arossia joyceae gen. et sp, nov. (Stephanoidea); Manlaya oculatissima sp. nov., M. anglica sp. nov., M. ockleyensis sp, nov., M. capelensis sp. nov. (Gasteruptiidae); Tillywhimia spectra gen. et sp. nov.,T. colorata sp. nov. (?Gasteruptiidae); Cretevania concordia sp. nov. (Cretevaniidae); Dintonia despectata gen. et sp, nov., Pallenites calcarius gen. et sp. nov., Peverella punctata sp. nov. (Proctotrupidae); Coramia minuta gen, et sp. nov. (Diapriidae); Amitchellia procera gen. et sp. nov., A. brevis sp. nov. (Proctotrupoidea); Purichneumon britannicus gen. et sp. nov. (Eoichneumonidae); Bethylonymellus feltoni sp. nov. (Bethylonymidae); Archisphex proximus sp. nov., A. curvus sp. nov., Angarosphex consensus sp. nov., A. bleachi sp. nov., Pompilopterus corpus sp. nov., P. wimbledoni sp. nov., P. keymerensis sp. nov., ?P. worssami sp. nov., ?P. leei sp. nov., ?P. difficilis sp. nov., Iwestia provecta gen. et sp. nov. (Sphecidae); Apocritites distinctus gen. et sp. nov. (Apocrita). Taxonomic changes include Prosyntexis gobiensis (Rasnitsyn 1993) comb, nov. and Prosyntexis okhotensis (Rasnitsyn 1993) comb, nov. (Sepulcidae); Angarosphex Rasnitsyn 1975 = Shandongodes Zhang 1985 syn, nov. (Sphecidae); Archisphex Evans 1969 = Cretosphex Rasnitsyn 1975, = Mateosphex Zhang 1985,= Palaeapis Hong 1984 syn. nov. (Sphecidae). The Purbeck fauna is more diverse generically and contains a greater number of endemics than the Wealden fauna. The absence of xyelids from the Purbeck and Wealden is consistent with a warm climate. Late Mesozoic vespidan faunas are compared globally (especially with eastern Asia), and four Jurassic-Cretaceous assemblages are recognised: an ephialtitid-praeaulacine or aculeate-free Jurassic type; a Lower Cretaceous baissine type with earlier proctotrupid and later angarosphecine subtypes; an Upper Cretaceous armaniid type. The Purbeck-Wealden fauna is baissine with two Jurassic 'survivors' but lacks social groups; both assemblage subtypes are represented but the influx of aculeate wasps is accompanied by reduced endemicity and generic diversity possibly indicative of ecological change in the hinterland. (C) 1998 Academic Press. |
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