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New fossil insects from the Anisian (Lower to Middle Muschelkalk) from the Central European Basin (Germany and The Netherlands)

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Abstract

The Palaeozoic–Mesozoic transition is characterized not only by the most massive Phanerozoic mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, but also its extensive aftermath and a prolonged period of major biotal recovery during the succeeding Middle to Late Triassic. Particularly, Anisian insect species from units of the Lower to Middle Muschelkalk from the Central European Basin are rare. The specimens described here originated from the Anisian Wellenkalk facies (Lower Muschelkalk), Vossenveld Formation of the Winterswijk quarry, The Netherlands, and from the orbicularis Member (lowermost Middle Muschelkalk, Anisian) of Esperstedt near Querfurt (Saxony-Anhalt). Thus, the described insect remains from Winterwijk and Esperstedt expand our knowledge about Middle Triassic terrestrial arthropod communities and their palaeodiversity. A new species of Chauliodites (C. esperstedti sp. nov) is introduced.

Kurzfassung

Der Übergang vom Paläozoikum zum Mesozoikum ist nicht nur durch eines der größten Massenaussterben des gesamten Phanerozoikums charakterisiert, sondern ist auch gekennzeichnet durch eines der zeitlich längsten Erholungsmuster terrestrischer Ökosysteme – vermutlich erst einsetzend während der mittleren bis späten Trias. Fundstellen für mitteltriassische Insekten, insbesondere aus Einheiten des unteren bis mittleren Muschelkalk, sind in Mitteleuropa gewöhnlich sehr selten. Die hier untersuchten Proben stammen vornehmlich von der Fundstelle Winterswijk, Niederlande (Vossenveld-Formation, Wellenkalk Fazies, Unterer Muschelkalk), wobei aus den ‘Orbicularisschichten’ (unterster Mittlerer Muschelkalk) von Esperstedt, nahe Querfurt (Sachsen-Anhalt), nur ein isolierter Fund beschrieben wird. Somit kommt den Fundstellen Winterwijk und Esperstedt eine besondere Bedeutung zu, weil sie hinsichtlich ihres gut erhaltenen und diversen Fossilinhalts bedeutende Fundorte für mitteltriassische Insektenreste darstellen und uns einen Einblick in die Ökologie und Ausbildung terrestrischer Lebensräume der mittleren Trias gewähren. Eine neue Art der Gattung Chauliodites (C. esperstedti sp. nov.) wird beschrieben.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sibelco Europe MineralsPlus Winterswijk, and its director Gerard ten Dolle and the members of the working group Muschelkalk Winterswijk, for their invaluable support. Furthermore, we would like to thank the entire 2014 Winterswijk Utrecht University-Naturalis dig team and in particular Jasper Ponstein for having the keen eyes to spot specimen RGM.792411. We are grateful to Jörg Ansorge, Oscar Florencio Gallego, and Mike Reich for their comments which helped to improve the final version.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 4, 3584 CD, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Timo van Eldijk & Jelle Reumer

  2. Kolmschotlanden 43, 7542 GD, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Gerard Goris

  3. Hennep 14, 7261 JK, Ruurlo, The Netherlands

    Adam Haarhuis

  4. Erve Jenneboer 75, 7623 JH, Borne, The Netherlands

    Jos Lankamp

  5. Molenstraat 14, 7121 CS, Aalten, The Netherlands

    Herman Winkelhorst

  6. Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB-UMR 7205-CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, 75005, Paris, France

    André Nel

  7. Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283, Darmstadt, Germany

    Torsten Wappler

  8. Steinmann Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie, Paläontologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Torsten Wappler

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van Eldijk, T., Goris, G., Haarhuis, A. et al. New fossil insects from the Anisian (Lower to Middle Muschelkalk) from the Central European Basin (Germany and The Netherlands). PalZ 91, 185–194 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-017-0343-y

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