A primitive triatomine bug, Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

Citeable URL: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/x633f5833

Descriptions

Attribute Name	Values
Creator	Poinar, George, Jr.
Abstract	The present study describes a primitive kissing bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. The fossil, which is described as Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa gen. et sp. nov., contains a predominance of features of the Triatominae as well as some characters of the Reduviinae and is considered an intermediate fossil representing an early progenitor of the Triatominae. Based on the present distribution of the Triatominae and recent studies indicating that Burmese amber fossils could have originated in Gondwana, it is proposed that Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa is a Gondwanan lineage that evolved in the mid-Cretaceous. The specimen contains developing trypanosome flagellates in its hindgut, suggesting that early triatomines could have been vectoring pathogenic protozoa to vertebrates some 100 Ma. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
License	Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
Resource Type	Article
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.09.004
Date Issued	2019-01
Journal Title	Cretaceous Research
Journal Volume	93
Rights Statement	In Copyright
Language	English [eng]
ISSN	0195-6671