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Terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Oniscidea) are a model group for studying the colonization of land. However, their fossil record is remarkably scarce and restricted to amber inclusions, and therefore amber deposits represent valuable windows to their past diversity and morphology. Here we present a new collection of 11 terrestrial isopod specimens preserved in Albian-aged amber from the Peñacerrada I outcrop, northern Spain, which collectively represent the most thoroughly documented fauna of Mesozoic Oniscidea. The three new genera and species identified belong to three of five major groups of the Oniscidea: Eoligiiscus tarraconensis, new genus and species (Ligiidae), Autrigoniscus resinicola, new genus and species (Synocheta: Trichoniscidae), and Heraclitus helenae, new genus and species (Crinocheta: Detonidae?). These taxa significantly expand the known fossil record of Oniscidea and demonstrate that considerable cladogenesis had already transpired by the Albian. The assemblage represents the earliest-known diversification of Oniscidea, extending direct evidence of terrestrialization in the group back to the late Early Cretaceous. These new taxa exhibit some characteristics that may inform hypotheses relating to general patterns of terrestrial isopod evolution. A discussion is provided about different aspects of the paleoecology and biology of the fossils compared to the Recent fauna. The new species indicate that Cretaceous isopods were a group of considerable adaptive diversity, exhibiting innovations analogous to what Recent isopods would exhibit 105 million years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new weevil ( Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) species from Cretaceous amber of Spain (early Albian) and France (late Albian - early Cenomanian) are described. Nemonychidae are represented by two Spanish specimens from the El Soplao and San Just deposits and described as A rra legalovi gen. et sp. nov., Caridae are described from one specimen in the Spanish deposit of El Soplao and named as A lbicar contriti gen. et sp. nov., and Curculionidae are documented from one specimen embedded in opaque amber from the French deposit of Archingeay and described as A ntiquis opaque gen. et sp. nov. These three new species provide valuable information because they appear to reflect, together with the previously described weevils in Cretaceous ambers, the gradual shift in the dominance of particular curculionoid families across the Cretaceous. Propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography was utilized to obtain high quality 3 D images for some fossils and, at the same time, permit a concise description of them. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxa within diverse lineages select and transport exogenous materials for the purposes of camouflage. This adaptive behavior also occurs in insects, most famously in green lacewing larvae who nestle the trash among setigerous cuticular processes, known as trash-carrying, rendering them nearly undetectable to predators and prey, as well as forming a defensive shield. We report an exceptional discovery of a green lacewing larva in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain with specialized cuticular processes forming a dorsal basket that carry a dense trash packet. The trash packet is composed of trichomes of gleicheniacean ferns, which highlight the presence of wildfires in this early forest ecosystem. This discovery provides direct evidence of an early acquisition of a sophisticated behavioral suite in stasis for over 110 million years and an ancient plant-insect interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Albian amber from Spain presently harbors the greatest number and diversity of amber adult fossil snakeflies (Raphidioptera). Within Baissopteridae, Baissoptera? cretaceoelectra sp. n., from the Peñacerrada I outcrop (Moraza, Burgos), is the first amber inclusion belonging to the family and described from western Eurasia, thus substantially expanding the paleogeographical range of the family formerly known from the Cretaceous of Brazil and eastern Asia. Within the family Mesoraphidiidae, Necroraphidia arcuata gen. et sp. n. and Amarantoraphidia ventolina gen. et sp. n. are described from the El Soplao outcrop (Rábago, Cantabria), whereas Styporaphidia? hispanica sp. n. and Alavaraphidia imperterrita gen. et sp. n. are described from Peñacerrada I. In addition, three morphospecies are recognized from fragmentary remains. The following combinations are restored: Yanoraphidia gaoi Ren, 1995, stat. rest., Mesoraphidia durlstonensis Jepson, Coram and Jarzembowski, 2009, stat. rest., and Mesoraphidia heteroneura Ren, 1997, stat. rest. The singularity of this rich paleodiversity could be due to the paleogeographic isolation of the Iberian territory and also the prevalence of wildfires during the Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A diverse fauna of wasps of the extinct parasitoid family Stigmaphronidae (Ceraphronoidea) are recorded in Early Cretaceous (Lower Albian) amber from Spain. Seven new species in five genera are described and figured based on 51 specimens, representing more material than in all the world’s other amber deposits combined. New species include: Elasmophron mari sp. nov., Libanophron sugaar sp. nov., Hippocoon basajauni sp. nov., Burmaphron jentilak sp. nov., B. sorginak sp. nov., B. iratxoak sp. nov., and Tagsmiphron olentzero sp. nov. The significance of the fauna is discussed and compared with that of other Cretaceous amber deposits, in particular the tremendous richness of the Spanish fauna is contrasted with the complete absence of stigmaphronids in the slightly younger and nearby French amber. Whether this stark difference represents particularly favorable conditions for these parasitoids, or their hosts, in the Cretaceous Spanish archipelago, or whether it is owing to taphonomic factors is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New material of the wasp family Maimetshidae (Apocrita) is presented from four Cretaceous amber deposits - the Neocomian of Lebanon, the Early Albian of Spain, the latest Albian/earliest Cenomanian of France, and the Campanian of Canada. The new record from Canadian Cretaceous amber extends the temporal and paleogeographical range of the family. New material from France is assignable to Guyotemaimetsha enigmatica Perrichot et al. including the first females for the species, while a series of males and females from Spain are described and figured as Iberomaimetsha Ortega-Blanco, Perrichot & Engel, gen. n., with the two new species Iberomaimetsha rasnitsyni Ortega-Blanco, Perrichot & Engel, sp. n. and I. nihtmara Ortega-Blanco, Delclòs & Engel, sp. n.; a single female from Lebanon is described and figured as Ahiromaimetsha najlae Perrichot, Azar, Nel & Engel, gen. et sp. n., and a single male from Canada is described and figured as Ahstemiam cellula McKellar & Engel, gen. et sp. n. The taxa are compared with other maimetshids, a key to genera and species is given, and brief comments made on the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fauna of false fairy wasps (Proctotrupomorpha: Bipetiolarida: Mymarommatoidea) occurring in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from north and north-eastern Spain (Moraza, San Just, and El Soplao outcrops) is described. In total, 12 specimens have been recovered and four species recognized, all new: Alavaromma orchamum gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Alavarommatidae fam. nov.), Archaeromma hispanicum sp. nov. (Mymarommatidae), Galloromma alavaensis sp. nov., and G. turolensis sp. nov. (Gallorommatidae). The study indicates the necessity of revision and maybe fusion of both superfamilies, Mymarommatoidea and Serphitoidea, as the boundaries between them are less and less defined. However, major classificatory rearrangements must await the completion of the cladistic studies presently underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The diversity of serphitid wasps (Proctotrupomorpha: Serphitoidea) in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Spain is described. Four new species have been found representing the genera Serphites Brues 1937, Aposerphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979, and Microserphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979. From the Peñacerrada I (Moraza) outcrop two species are described as Aposerphites angustus Ortega-Blanco, Delclòs, Peñalver and Engel, new species and Serphites lamiak, new species. A single species was found at the San Just (Teruel) outcrop and is described as S. silban, new species. Another single specimen was found in El Soplao (Cantabria) outcrop, described as Microserphites soplaensis, new species. This last specimen is especially interesting in sharing typical serphitid and mymarommatoid characters, giving additional support to the apparent close relationship of both groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents research which described the Protorhyssaline wasp species in the Albian amber in Peñacerrada, Spain. The authors found that the species Potorhyssalopsis perrichoti differs with other wasp species in terms of their mouthpart and mesosomal morphology as well as wing venation. They also mentioned that the head of this wasp is likely a cyclostome specimen with large upper tooth and recessed apical margin concave clypeus. They discovered that its face projects a distinct depression and a shortened triangular labrum.

The article presents research which explored the wasp family Embolemidae found in the Albian amber in Spain. The Embolemus periallus species has a greatly elongated head frontal protuberance as well as extremely elongated scape without medial longitudinal groove and with pronounced collar. The body of the female Embolemus periallus is described to have a concave ventral anterior surface which is characterized by scattered minute punctures. The researchers found that it has an uncertain palpal formula and visible five maxillary palpomeres.

The article presents a study on the first termites in Early Cretaceous amber from Canada and Spain. The researchers observed the new genus and species Morazatermes krishnai and the second termite species Cantabritermes simplex, which were preserved in fossiliferous resin from Moraza, Burgos Province. They observed a termite in Late Cretaceous amber that was taken from Grassy Lake near Medicine Hat in Alberta, which was described from a fragmentary imago lacking wings. They also used a Nikon D70 camera to photograph the specimens and established measurements with the help of a Leica IM1000 image manager.

The article offers information on the new genus and species of braconid called Archephedrus stolamissus, which is a primitive aphidiine wasp in Albian from Spain. Characterized as the first fossil Aphidiine in Cretaceous amber, the wasp has a robust abdomen, has a pronounced articulation between the first and second metasomal segments, and has many wing venational traits. It mentions that Aphidiinae, which are considered beneficial in nature, has a top-down control of aphid populations via endoparasitoidism. It explores the systematic paleontology of the new genus which includes the type species, diagnosis, and etymology. It also notes that the distribution of Aphidiine wasp and other aphidiine fossils support a northern origin of lineage.

We present here the first record of plant-insect interactions from an ephemeral volcanic island that was placed 150 km away from the nearest continental mass. The island was formed and destroyed during the Aalenian (Middle Jurassic) in a shallow sea of the southwestern Tethyan realm corresponding today to a place located in eastern Spain. These plant-insect interactions were mainly documented in leaves of Cycadophytes (comprising both Cycads and Bennettitales), and they have been described and classified into different Damage Types (DTs) and Functional Feeding Groups (FFGs). The interactions were assigned to 11 different DTs including different types of hole feeding, margin feeding, surface feeding, piercing and sucking, mining(?), and some putative ovipositional scars. The presence of these interactions implies that the island was colonized by different groups of insects, including orders such as Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, or Lepidoptera. The low variety and incidence of interactions comparing with other Middle Jurassic plant-insect interactions assemblages indicate that the diversity of insects was not high, possibly due to the difficulty of reaching this island by various lineages, the small size of the landmass of the island, and the limited food availability (mainly Cycadophytes). Possible colonization strategies could be by atmospheric dispersion, using floating remains of plants or pterosaurs as vectors, by active flight for Lepidoptera, or by rafting and floating in marine currents for flightless or other insects. • First study of plant-insect interactions from the Jurassic of the Iberian Peninsula. • Comparison with other mid-Jurassic plant-insect interactions. • Identification of possible culprits for the different damages. • Discussion on colonization strategies by insects during the Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental care in animal evolution has long fascinated biologists, but tracing this complex of behavioural repertoires is challenging, as these transitory states often leave no corporeal traces as fossils. Among modern invertebrates, the tanaidaceans (Malacostraca: Peracarida), a lineage of marsupial crustaceans, show an interesting variety of brooding strategies. Here we report on fossil tanaidaceans from the Cretaceous of Spain and France that provide conclusive evidence for marsupial care of brood-offspring. Two exceptionally preserved female specimens of Alavatanais carabe and A. margulisae from Late Albian Peñacerrada I amber (Spain) possess four pairs of rudimentary oostegites, indicating formation of a marsupium. From Recent data, given the taxonomic distribution of a marsupium of four pairs of oostegites, we hypothesize that this may be plesiomorphic for the Tanaidomorpha. We also report on a peculiar tanaidacean specimen referable to the fossil family Alavatanaidae, Daenerytanais maieuticus gen. et sp. nov., from Early Cenomanian La Buzinie amber (France), preserved with its marsupial pouch and content. Our discoveries provide early evidence of the peracarid reproductive strategy, as seen in modern Tanaidacea, and argue that this form of parental care may have played a role in the diversification of the lineage during this period.