The first fossils of Alloraphes (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) described from Miocene Dominican amber
These videos have been matched automatically. Contact us if they are not relevant.
These videos have been matched automatically. Contact us if they are not relevant.
View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.The first fossil species of Alloraphes beetles, Alloraphes cantusfurca, was discovered in Miocene amber on Hispaniola. This finding provides crucial data for understanding the evolutionary history and biogeography of this Neotropical beetle genus.
Area Of Science
- Entomology
- Paleontology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background
- Alloraphes Franz, 1980 is a Neotropical genus of Scydmaeninae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) beetles.
- Distinguishing between Alloraphes and the similar Stenichnaphes is challenging, particularly for female specimens, due to reliance on aedeagal characteristics.
Purpose Of The Study
- To describe the first fossil species of Alloraphes.
- To document the presence of Alloraphes in Hispaniola during the Miocene epoch.
- To establish a phylogenetic calibration point for the genus.
Main Methods
- Morphological description of two fossil specimens using CT-scan data and microscopy.
- Analysis of fossil amber inclusions.
Main Results
- Description of Alloraphes cantusfurca sp. nov., the first fossil species of Alloraphes.
- Confirmation of Alloraphes presence on Hispaniola during the Miocene.
- The fossil extends the known temporal and geographic range of the genus.
Conclusions
- Alloraphes cantusfurca sp. nov. serves as a critical calibration point for future phylogenetic studies of the genus.
- The discovery impacts our understanding of the biogeography and evolutionary history of Alloraphes and related taxa.
These videos have been matched automatically. Contact us if they are not relevant.
These videos have been matched automatically. Contact us if they are not relevant.
Related Concept Videos
The fossil record documents only a small fraction of all organisms that have ever inhabited Earth. Fossilization is a rare process, and most organisms never become fossils. Moreover, the fossil record only exhibits fossils that have been discovered. Nevertheless, sedimentary rock fossils of long-lived, abundant, hard-bodied organisms dominate the fossil record. These fossils offer valuable information, such as an organism's physical form, behavior, and age. Studying the fossil record helps...
Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire kingdom.
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...
Phylum Ascomycota, a major division within the subkingdom Dikarya, comprises a diverse range of fungal species, including both unicellular yeasts and filamentous molds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium. These fungi thrive in a variety of habitats, from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial environments, playing crucial ecological and economic roles.Morphology and ReproductionThe defining characteristic of Ascomycetes, commonly referred to as sac fungi, is the ascus—a sac-like structure that...