New, primitive termites (Isoptera) from Early Cretaceous ambers of France and Lebanon
Issue Date
2011-12-30Author
Engel, Michael S.
Nel, André
Azar, Dany
Soriano, Carmen
Tafforeau, Paul
Néraudeau, Didier
Colin, Jean-Paul
Perrichot, Vincent
Publisher
Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Published Version
http://www.palaeodiversity.org/pdf/04/Palaeodiversity_4_Engeletal.pdfMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Three new genera and species of primitive termites (Isoptera) are described and figured from Early Cretaceous French and Lebanese ambers: Santonitermes chloeae ENGEL, NEL & PERRICHOT, n. gen., n. sp., from an imago preserved in Charentese amber (Albian–Cenomanian); Syagriotermes salomeae ENGEL, NEL & PERRICHOT, n. gen., n.
sp., from an alate detected in opaque amber from the same locality and reconstructed using synchrotron microtomographic imaging; and Lebanotermes veltzae ENGEL, AZAR & NEL, n. gen., n. sp., from an alate preserved in Lebanese amber (Aptian). The three genera exhibit primitive features of the Meiatermes-grade of early isopteran genera
(sensu ENGEL et al. 2009). In addition, three further fragmentary specimens from Lebanon amber are reported, each
apparently distinct from Lebanotermes n. gen. and the previously described Melqartitermes ENGEL et al., 2007. The
new fossils further document the diversity and morphological disparity of ‘lower’ termite groups during the Early Cretaceous, highlighting the importance of palaeontological material for understanding isopteran phylogeny as well as the diversification of Isoptera in the latest Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.
Description
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from palaeodiversity.org.
ISSN
1867-6294Collections
Citation
Engel, Michael S.; Nel, André; Azar, Dany; Soriano, Carmen; Tafforeau, Paul; Néraudeau, Didier; Colin, Jean-Paul; Perrichot, Vincent New, primitive termites (Isoptera) from Early Cretaceous ambers of France and Lebanon. Palaeodiversity 4:39-49. http://www.palaeodiversity.org/pdf/04/Palaeodiversity_4_Engeletal.pdf
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