Article
Zoology
Andrey Matalin, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Dmitry V. Vasilenko
Summary: A new fossil tiger beetle species, Goriresina fungifora gen. n., sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae), is described from Eocene Rovno amber. This is the first record of a tiger beetle in Rovno amber and only a fourth well-preserved Cicindelidae from fossil resins.
Article
Biology
Leonid N. Anisyutkin, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: This article describes two fossil cockroaches, belonging to the new extinct genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. and the extant genus Supella Shelford, 1911. They are the first representatives of the Ectobiidae family from the Eocene of Ukraine. The new genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. is similar to the extant genus Symploce Hebard, 1916, but differs in wing structure. The extant genus Supella is mainly distributed in the Afrotropical Region. The article provides a detailed description of the new taxa and suggests brief conclusions about the climate of the Priabonian Rovno amber forest.
Article
Zoology
Wojciech Gilka, Ralph E. Harbach, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: A new species of mosquito, Culex ekaterinae sp. nov., is described based on an adult male found in amber from northwestern Ukraine. The new species is compared with a presumed closest relative, Culex erikae, and a redescription of Culiseta gedanica is presented based on a male found in amber. The study also includes a tabulation of fossil Culicidae and their geological ages.
Article
Paleontology
Wesley D. Colombo, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Dmitry V. Vasilenko
Summary: A new extinct bethylid wasp is described from Eocene amber in western Ukraine, demonstrating the rich diversity of Eocene Bethylidae. The distribution of Scleroderminae in tropical and temperate regions is also discussed.
Article
Biology
Georgy Yu. Lyubarsky, Evgeny E. E. Perkovsky, Dmitry V. V. Vasilenko
Summary: Xenophagus simutniki sp. n. is a new species described from a late Eocene Rovno amber specimen. It is similar to Xenophagus popovi Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2017 from Baltic amber, but differs in the medially notched anterior margin of the pronotum. The Rovno xenosceline fauna is the richest known, including extinct and extant genera closely related to Xenoscelis and Zavaljus, respectively. A key to extinct species of Xenoscelinae is provided, and the possible reasons for the abundance of xenoscelines in European amber forests are discussed.
Article
Entomology
Alexander G. Radchenko, Maxim Yu. Proshchalykin
Summary: A new fossil myrmicine ant genus and species, Lelejus venustus gen. et sp. nov., is described from late Eocene Rovno amber, showing distinct morphological features not found in other known late Eocene European ambers. The taxonomic position of this genus has been discussed in the study.
JOURNAL OF HYMENOPTERA RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Paleontology
L. N. Anisyutkin, E. E. Perkovsky
Summary: A new species of fossil cockroach, provisionally assigned to the genus Periplaneta, was described based on a larva found in Rovno amber. This discovery represents the first finding of the subfamily Blattinae from the Eocene of Ukraine, and the first instance of an amber insect from the Manevychi locality in Volyn Region. The detailed morphological description highlights specific abdominal modifications characteristic of immature and wingless extant Blattidae.
PALEONTOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Geology
Kathrin Feldberg, Alfons Schaefer-Verwimp, Matt A. M. Renner, Matt von Konrat, Julia Bechteler, Patrick Mueller, Yong-Dong Wang, Harald Schneider, Alexander R. Schmidt
Summary: DNA-based analyses and the fossil record suggest liverworts originated in the early Paleozoic, with life-like three-dimensional fossils only appearing in amber from the mid-Cretaceous onwards. Recent studies have provided insight into the phylogenetic diversification and morphological evolution of liverworts during a transitional period in the mid to Late Cretaceous. New fossil discoveries have expanded the known number of Cretaceous amber-preserved liverwort species.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Vladimir N. Makarkin, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Leonid N. Anisyutkin, Dmitry A. Dubovikoff
Summary: This article describes two larvae of Raphidioptera found in Sakhalinian and Rovno amber, which are believed to belong to different genera of Raphidiidae. The Sakhalinian larva is the first confirmed representative of Raphidioptera from the Cenozoic of Asia, while the Rovno amber larva is the first European Cenozoic immature raphidiopteran found outside of Russo-Scandia. The article also discusses the terrestrial insect assemblage of the Sakhalinian amber forest, including the presence of snakeflies.
Article
Ecology
Yan-Da Li, Erik Tihelka, Shuhei Yamamoto, Alfred F. Newton, Fang-Yuan Xia, Ye Liu, Di-Ying Huang, Chen-Yang Cai
Summary: Despite being only 50 extant species, beetles of the suborder Archostemata have a rich fossil history, dominating coleopteran assemblages in the Mesozoic. Fossils provide valuable evidence for reconstructing the relationships among its constituent families.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geology
Anderson Lepeco, Gabriel A. R. Melo
Summary: The study describes three new species of the wasp genus tHolopsenella from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, providing illustrations and a key to the known species. The removal of tHolopsenellinae from Bethylidae and its classification as tHolopsenellidae stat. nov. in Aculeata s.str. is discussed. The discovery of tHolopsenella in Burmese amber supports a Gondwana-origin hypothesis for the amber biota.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Valery m. Loktionov, Arkady s. Lelej, Dmitry V. Vasilenko, Evgeny e. Perkovsky
Summary: This paper describes a new species of extinct spider wasps called Paleogenia waichertae. It is the second record of Pompilidae from Rovno amber, the third known species of the extinct genus Paleogenia Waichert et Pitts, and the 26th known extinct species of spider wasps. The sex of the holotype of the species Paleogenia indomini is clarified to be male, and a key to males of Paleogenia is provided.
Article
Zoology
Massimo Olmi, Dmitry V. Vasilenko, Leonardo Capradossi, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Adalgisa Guglielmino
Summary: A new species, Lonchodryinus groehni sp. nov., is described from Baltic amber, closely related to L. balticus but distinguishable by different OPL/POL ratio and 2r-rs&Rs vein of the fore wing. The paper provides a key to fossil species of Lonchodryinus and compares it to the extant species L. ruficornis.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wieslaw Krzeminski, Iwona Kania, Wiktoria Jordan-Stasilo, Herman De Jong, Ewa Krzeminska, Kornelia Skibinska
Summary: Two new fossil subgenera and species of the genus Tipula are described from Baltic amber and serve as a valuable connection between recent specimens and those preserved in sedimentary rocks, enhancing our understanding of the family's evolution.
ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA-ENGLISH EDITION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Katerina Triskova, Gabriela Packova, Alexander S. Prosvirov, Robin Kundrata
Summary: In this study, a new click beetle species, Burmogonus cretaceus, is described based on a well-preserved specimen from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The species is confidently assigned to the subfamily Elaterinae and tentatively placed in the tribe Elaterini. The morphology of the new genus and other Elaterinae species from Burmese amber are discussed.
Article
Biology
Francesco Vitali, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: The first cerambycid fossil from Eocene Rovno amber, named Poliaenus europaeus n. sp. (Lamiinae, Pogonocherini), is described in this study. This new species represents the first known fossil of Poliaenus Bates, 1880, and the first representative of this genus found in Europe. The study discusses the relationships with extant species and the potential hosts of this fossil, suggesting the presence of Abies in the Eocene of Ukraine.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
A. A. Legalov, D. V. Vasilenko, E. E. Perkovsky
Summary: This article describes two new species of the genus Demimaea from Rovno amber. The differences between these new species and their extant counterparts are highlighted, and assumptions are made about the presence of Ficus genus plants in the Eocene of Northern and Eastern Europe.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Dmitry Telnov, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Robin Kundrata, Kristaps Kairiss, Dmitry V. Vasilenko, Andris Bukejs
Summary: The beetle family Ptilodactylidae is reported for the first time from Rovno amber in Ukraine, with two new species described and illustrated using X-ray micro-computed tomography. The findings suggest a diverse presence of ptilodactylids in Eocene Europe, as supported by recent discoveries in Baltic amber and Bembridge Marls.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
M. A. X. I. M. Nabozhenko, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Vitaliy Yu. Nazarenko
Summary: A new genus and species of fossil darkling beetle, Archaeoluprops groehni gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Eocene Baltic amber. It closely resembles species of the Lupropini and Goniaderini tribes in external morphology but differs in lacking intersegmental membranes between abdominal ventrites 3-5 and defensive glands. Based on its combination of primitive and derived characters and distinctions from other extinct and extant lagriine tribes, a new tribe, Archaeolupropini trib. nov., is established. The absence of Baltic amber lagriine tribes in extant fauna of middle latitudes in Europe is noted.
Article
Zoology
Maxim Nabozhenko, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: A new species of the Oriental alleculine genus Oracula, named O. campbelli, is described from the Eocene Rovno amber in Ukraine. This is the first record of a representative from the family Tenebrionidae in this fossil deposit. The extant species of Oracula are found in Nepal, southern China (Yunnan), Thailand, Laos, and Indonesia. The newly discovered extinct species is similar to O. amica from Nepal.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carolin Haug, Viktor A. Baranov, Marie K. Hoernig, Joshua Gauweiler, Jorg U. Hammel, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Joachim T. Haug
Summary: Eocene amber provides a valuable insight into the past, approximately 35 million years ago. The large amount of resin that turned into amber suggests that the forest of that time was under stress. Recent discoveries of hoverfly larvae in Eocene amber, which are often associated with wood-borer larvae in modern fauna, hint at the possible contribution of wood-borer larvae to this stress. Additional wood-borer larvae have been found in amber, including a giant one in Rovno amber. These findings indicate that wood-borer larvae were common in the Eocene amber forest, supporting the idea of a stressed forest. However, whether the higher abundance of wood-borer larvae was the cause or symptom of the stress remains unclear.
PALAEOBIODIVERSITY AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maryna M. Sukhomlyn, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: This study reports the discovery of mycelium from the Yantardakh Lagerstatte (Santonian of Taimyr). The mycelium shows parallel arrangement, weak branching, and septated hyphae, indicating an affinity to Basidiomycota. Two types of outgrowths, long and common, and short peg-shaped, were observed perpendicular to the parent hyphae. Arthroconidia and spherical structures resembling exudate drops were also observed. The presence of mycelial rings similar to trapping loops suggests that this mycelium belongs to a nematophagous fungus of Agaricomycetes. This finding implies the existence of nematodes in the Taimyr amber forest and represents the first discovery of putatively nematophagous Basidiomycota from the Cretaceous of North Asia.
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH
(2023)
Article
Biology
Josh Jenkins Shaw, Evgeny Perkovsky, Adam Slipinski, Hermes Escalona, Alexey Solodovnikov
Summary: A new species of narrow-waisted bark beetle, Diagrypnodes villumi sp. nov., is described from Eocene Rovno amber in Ukraine. This fossil challenges the common perception of Diagrypnodes as a Gondwanan lineage with disjunct extant species in Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. The presence of Diagrypnodes and Eopeplus in Eocene Europe indicates a previously different and potentially wider distribution of the subfamily. Additionally, the discovery of the ant Lasius schiefferdeckeri Mayr in the same amber piece highlights the coexistence of temperate and frost intolerant elements in European Eocene amber forests.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Dmitry D. Vorontsov, Vasiliy B. Kolesnikov, Elena E. Voronezhskaya, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Marielle M. Berto, Joseph Mowery, Ronald Ochoa, Pavel B. Klimov
Summary: We describe a non-destructive method of super resolution confocal microscopy (sCLSM) for studying microfossils preserved in amber. By studying a novel astigmatid mite species (genus Histiogaster, Acaridae) in amber, we demonstrate that the resolution obtained with sCLSM is similar to that of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) commonly used for studying modern mites. We compare sCLSM imaging with other methods used for studying amber inclusions and highlight its advantages in examining unique fossil specimens. Additionally, we find that the deterioration of amber, reflected in its darkening, correlates positively with increased fluorescence. Our results demonstrate the great potential of the sCLSM method for imaging the tiniest organisms preserved in amber.
Article
Biology
Georgy Yu. Lyubarsky, Evgeny E. E. Perkovsky, Dmitry V. V. Vasilenko
Summary: Xenophagus simutniki sp. n. is a new species described from a late Eocene Rovno amber specimen. It is similar to Xenophagus popovi Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2017 from Baltic amber, but differs in the medially notched anterior margin of the pronotum. The Rovno xenosceline fauna is the richest known, including extinct and extant genera closely related to Xenoscelis and Zavaljus, respectively. A key to extinct species of Xenoscelinae is provided, and the possible reasons for the abundance of xenoscelines in European amber forests are discussed.
Article
Biology
Ilya S. Turbanov, Vasiliy B. Kolesnikov, Dmitry D. Vorontsov, Dmitry V. Vasilenko, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: A new species of chthonioid pseudoscorpion, named Chthonius marusiki sp. nov., is described from Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). This is the first valid species of the family Chthoniidae found in Rovno amber. Diagnostic, biogeographic, paleohabitat, and ecological features of this new species are presented and compared to related extinct and extant species of this genus.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Leonid N. Anisyutkin, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: This article describes two fossil cockroaches, belonging to the new extinct genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. and the extant genus Supella Shelford, 1911. They are the first representatives of the Ectobiidae family from the Eocene of Ukraine. The new genus Palaeosymploce gen. n. is similar to the extant genus Symploce Hebard, 1916, but differs in wing structure. The extant genus Supella is mainly distributed in the Afrotropical Region. The article provides a detailed description of the new taxa and suggests brief conclusions about the climate of the Priabonian Rovno amber forest.
Article
Entomology
Zoya A. Fedotova, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Andrew J. Ross, Qingqing Zhang
Summary: A new species of gall midge, Fushuniola mai Fedotova & Perkovsky, gen. et sp. nov., is described from the lower Eocene Fushun amber in China. Additionally, a diversity of gall midges from lower Eocene amber is presented. The new genus is closely related to the extant genus Rhipidoxylomyia.
Article
Entomology
Bartosz Oglaza, Evgeny E. Perkovsky, Piotr Wegierek
Article
Paleontology
Shuhei Yamamoto, Vitaly Yu Nazarenko, Dmitry V. Vasilenko, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: A new lymexylid fossil species, Raractocetus sverlilo Nazarenko, Perkovsky & Yamamoto, sp. nov., is described from late Eocene Rovno amber of Ukraine. This is the first member of the family Lymexylidae found in Rovno amber, and it is one of the smallest known atractocerines. The finding sheds light on the paleodiversity and distribution of atractocerine beetles during the Eocene.
