The first Mesozoic Solifugae (Arachnida), from the Cretaceous of Brazil, and a redescription of the Palaeozoic solifuge

Abstract

The first Mesozoic solifuge, from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation of Ceara province, Brazil, is described and named as Cratosolpuga wunderlichi Selden, gen. et sp. nov. and placed in the extant family Ceromidae. There are two previously described fossil solifuges: from Palaeogene Dominican amber and the Carboniferous (Westphalian D) Francis Creek Shale of Mazon Creek, Illinois. The latter specimen (Protosolpuga carbonaria), redescribed herein, is poorly preserved but provides evidence for the presence of the order in the Carboniferous.