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Diversity and variability of grylloblattidan insects (Grylloblattida) from the early Permian Meisenheim Formation of the Saar-Nahe Basin (SW-Germany)

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Abstract

New grylloblattidan insect specimens from the early Permian (Asselian to early Sakmarian) Meisenheim Formation of the Saar-Nahe Basin in southwest Germany are described. The most abundant specimens are assigned to Pictoborella germanica (Prokop et al. in Geodiversitas 34: 271–281, 2012) and to Oborella brauckmanni Prokop et al., 2012. Morphological variation in these taxa is documented and discussed. Two new species, Oborella moschelensis sp. nov., and Artinska glanensis sp. nov., represented by one and three specimens, respectively, are proposed. A possible forewing of undetermined Liomopteridae is also recorded. With respect to grylloblattidans, the insects of the Meisenheim Formation reveal a decidedly Permian character.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Petra Schäfers, Kai Nungesser, Thomas Schindler, Sabine Glienke, and Tom Bizer (all GDKE RLP, Mainz) for joint fieldwork, curating material in their care and/or for providing specimens. Sebastian Voigt (GEOSKOP Thallichtenberg) provided repository data for material stored at the GEOSKOP. We are greatly indebted to two anonymous reviewers whose insightful comments helped to improve this contribution.

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  1. Direktion Landesarchäologie/Erdgeschichtliche Denkmalpflege, Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe RLP, Niederberger Höhe 1, 56077, Koblenz, Germany

    Markus J. Poschmann

  2. Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP 50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France

    André Nel

  3. Non-Institutional, Lämmchesbergstraße 12, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Manfred Raisch

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Poschmann, M.J., Nel, A. & Raisch, M. Diversity and variability of grylloblattidan insects (Grylloblattida) from the early Permian Meisenheim Formation of the Saar-Nahe Basin (SW-Germany). PalZ 98, 67–84 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-023-00672-8

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