A unique Sphenophyllum-mimicking insect in the Permian.

Area of Science:

• Paleontology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Entomology

Background:

• Mimicry is a widespread adaptive strategy, but its deep-time evolutionary origins are poorly understood due to scarce fossil evidence.
• Leaf mimicry has evolved independently in various insect lineages, with limited fossil records primarily from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the deep-time origins and evolution of mimicry in insects.
• To explore early insect-plant ecological associations.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a specialized cicadomorphan forewing fossil from the Guadalupian Yinping Formation, China (ca. 260 Ma).
• Integrated assessment of wing morphology and geometric morphometric analysis.
• Evaluation of the ecological association between the insect and the plant Sphenophyllum.

Main Results:

• A ca. 260 Ma cicadomorphan forewing exhibits remarkable morphological resemblance to the plant Sphenophyllum.
• Geometric morphometric analysis supports the hypothesis of mimicry.
• The findings suggest a specialized insect-plant ecological association.

Conclusions:

• This discovery significantly enriches the Paleozoic record of leaf mimicry in insects.
• It broadens the understanding of mimicry's evolutionary history within Hemiptera.
• Provides rare insights into insect-plant interactions in the South China Block prior to the end-Permian mass extinction.