Abstract
Beetles occupy a vast amount of different ecological roles in both terrestrial and fresh-water ecosystems. The often very specialised morphology of the adults can frequently be associated with their specific roles. Yet, the ecologically independent larvae of the same species are often unknown;this applies even more so to fossils. Here we report a new fossil beetle larva preserved in Mexican amber. The beetle larva was doc-umented via digital microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray ??CT). The observed features, especially of the trunk, but also the maxillo-labial complex as well as the moulting suture of the head capsule are reminiscent to those of larvae of variegated mud-loving beetles, Hetero-ceridae. The trunk end is tube-like and protrudes ventro-terminally from abdomen segment 9. While present in other beetle lin-eages, this morphology is in these lineages, for example, not combined with a simple moulting suture. Some features potentially further supporting an interpretation as a larva of Heteroceridae are not accessible. The interpretation yet remains the most compatible one. Assuming a similar life style to modern larvae of Heteroceridae indicates an original lifestyle associated with running waters, but not within these. Heteroceridae is an ingroup of Byrrhoidea;the fossil record of byrrhoidean larvae is still very scarce. The new fossil hence adds a rare ecological function to the Miocene amber fauna, representing the first fossil record of a larva of Heteroceridae and expanding the fossil record of byrrhoidean larvae.
| Dokumententyp: | Zeitschriftenartikel |
|---|---|
| Fakultät: | Biologie |
| Themengebiete: | 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie |
| ISSN: | 1405-3322 |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Dokumenten ID: | 115478 |
| Datum der Veröffentlichung auf Open Access LMU: | 02. Apr. 2024, 08:14 |
| Letzte Änderungen: | 02. Apr. 2024, 08:14 |
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