Alarista succina gen. et sp. nov. (Poaceae) is described from a single floret preserved in amber of Tertiary age originating from the Dominican Republic. The new genus is characterized by 1) a narrow winged lemma awn, 2) numerous (as many as 17) lemma nerves, 3) a lengthy rachilla internode (implying...
A new genus and species of bostrichid, Discoclavata dominicana n. gen., n. sp., (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and a new genus and species of eucnemid, Lissantauga epicrana n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters of Discoclavata dominicana include an extended body, strongly hypognathous head, asparate dorsal...
A new genus and species of megaridid, Minysporops dominicanus gen. n., sp. n. (Hemiptera: Megarididae), is described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters include: Minute (under 2.00 mm), glabrous, nearly round body; declivitous flat-topped head; eyes constricted near middle, with dorsal eye shields; ocelli ovoid-elliptical; antennae 4-segmented, setose; rostrum 4- segmented;...
Two new species of cicada hatchlings in Burmese and Dominican amber are described as Novicicada burmanica n. gen., n. sp. and N. youngi n. gen., n. sp. in the new collective genus Novicicada n. gen. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). Diagnostic characters of the new genus are an elongate, flattened body, all antennomeres...
Paleorhodococcus dominicanus n. gen., n sp. (Actinobacteria) is described from a fecal droplet of Triatoma dominicana (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Dominican amber. The fossil can be distinguished from most extant species of the closely related extant genus Rhodococcus Zopf, 1891 by its spherical cocci forming substrate filaments with elementary branching,...
The present work shows predatory behavior of the social orb-weaver spider, Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) against a parasitic wasp, Cascoscelio incassa n. gen., n. sp., (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. An adult male and juvenile of Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. in the...
A new genus and species of chrysomeline, Stenaspidiotus microptilus, n. gen., n. sp., (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) is described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters include an elongate, flattened body; small eyes; a narrow, long pronotum with a width/length ratio of 1.6, an irregular pronotal surface with marginated lateral edges, distinct humeral...
Parasite distributions fundamentally depend on the distributions of their hosts but may be more restricted than their hosts. Host-parasite symbioses tend to be spatially aggregated, and widely distributed host-parasite relationships are rare. Here, we combine field observations with published collection data to document the current known distribution of the nematode,...
The Myristicaceae is a member of the early diverging angiosperm order Magnoliales, however the family is poorly represented by fossil collections. We describe Virola dominicana sp. nov. (Myristicaceae), the first record of fossilized Myristicaceae flowers, from mid-Tertiary (45-15 mya) Dominican amber. The description is based on 24 male flowers in...