How to translate text using browser tools
2 August 2018 Prayers for fossil mantis unfulfilled: Prochaeradodis enigmaticus Piton, 1940 is a cockroach (Blattodea)
Yingying Cui, Dominic A. Evangelista, Olivier Béthoux
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The fossil species Prochaeradodis enigmaticusPiton, 1940, from Menat (France, Paleocene) has been regarded as a crown-Mantodea (praying mantis) and was subsequently used as one of the very few temporal calibration points relevant for the order. Ambiguities in previous descriptions prompted us to re-examine the type material. Based on our new observations and a broad comparative analysis across Dictyoptera, we recognized three independent morphological character states supporting an unequivocal placement of the fossil within Blattodea (cockroaches and termites). These states are: 1) in forewing, the AA area has intercalary veins; 2) in forewing, ScP is short and oblique; and 3) in hind wing, CuA has many posterior branches not reaching the posterior wing margin but the cubital furrow. This new placement discounts the use of this fossil as a Mantodea tree calibration point.

© Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.
Yingying Cui, Dominic A. Evangelista, and Olivier Béthoux "Prayers for fossil mantis unfulfilled: Prochaeradodis enigmaticus Piton, 1940 is a cockroach (Blattodea)," Geodiversitas 40(3), 355-362, (2 August 2018). https://doi.org/10.5252/geodiversitas2018v40a15
Received: 10 January 2018; Accepted: 3 April 2018; Published: 2 August 2018
JOURNAL ARTICLE
8 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
Blattaria
Blattida
Blattoptera
dating
morphology
palaeoentomology
Polyneoptera
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top