Sounds from the Eocene: the first singing cicada from the Messel Pit, Germany

Area of Science:

• Paleontology
• Entomology
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Cicadidae (true cicadas) are a diverse insect family with limited fossil records.
• The tribe Platypleurini, known for its diversity and distribution, lacked any fossil evidence until now.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first fossil record of Platypleurini from the Eocene Messel Pit.
• To establish the oldest confirmed fossil record for the Cicadinae subfamily globally.

Main Methods:

• Discovery and description of a new fossil genus and species: Eoplatypleura messelensis.
• Analysis of its significance as an early crown-group Cicadidae from Eurasia.

Main Results:

• The first fossil Platypleurini, Eoplatypleura messelensis gen. et sp. nov., was identified from the Eocene Messel Pit.
• This represents the earliest known fossil crown-group Cicadidae from Eurasia and the oldest Cicadinae fossil worldwide.
• The discovery enriches the Messel biota and fills a gap in the Eocene cicada fossil record.

Conclusions:

• Eoplatypleura messelensis provides a vital calibration point for molecular phylogenetic studies.
• The find offers new insights into the origins and dispersal of Platypleurini.
• Cicadidae were historically widespread in Europe during the Cenozoic era.