Chresmoda is an extinct genus of insects within the family Chresmodidae.

Chresmoda
Temporal range: Tithonian–Cenomanian [1]
Fossil specimen of Chresmoda obscura from Germany, on display at Galerie de paléontologie et d'anatomie comparée in Paris
Scientific classification
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Chresmoda

Germar, 1839
Synonyms
  • Propygolampis

Description

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Reconstruction of C.obscura

Chresmoda are large enigmatic insects with very long specialized legs, probably adapted for skating on the water surface similar to pond skaters. They can reach a body length of about 25 millimetres (0.98 in), with a forewing length of about 28 millimetres (1.1 in).[1] Some lagre specimens could reached a size of about 19 centimetres (7.5 in).[2]

These Polyneoptera of uncertain position have been considered aquatic and living on the water surface, probably predaceous on nektonic small animals.[3][4]

They lived during the Cretaceous of Brazil,[5] China,[6] Lebanon,[4] Spain, United Kingdom, Mongolia and Myanmar, as well as in the Late Jurassic of Germany, from 150.8 to 93.5 Ma from the Tithonian to the Cenomanian ages.[1] While most species are known from compression fossils, Chresmoda chikuni is known from well preserved 3-dimensional specimens in amber.[7]

Species

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[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Chresmoda". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Fossil mit der ID: 1780 - Chresmoda obscura GERMAR, 1839 - Die Fossilien von Solnhofen". solnhofen-fossilienatlas.de. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  3. ^ A. G. Ponomarenko Fossil insects from the Tithonian «Solnhofener Plattenkalke» in the Museum of Natural History, Vienna
  4. ^ a b Nel, Andre; Azar, Dany; Martinez-Delclos, Xavier; Makhoul, Edouard (2004-03-25). "A new Upper Cretaceous species of Chresmoda from Lebanon – a latest representative of Chresmodidae (Insecta: Polyneoptera inc. sed.): first record of homeotic mutations in the fossil record of insects". European Journal of Entomology. 101 (1): 145–151. doi:10.14411/eje.2004.019.
  5. ^ Delclòs, Xavier; Nel, André; Azar, Dany; Bechly, Günter; Dunlop, Jason A.; Engel, Michael S.; Heads, Sam W. (2008-03-01). "The enigmatic Mesozoic insect taxon Chresmodidae (Polyneoptera): New palaeobiological and phylogenetic data, with the description of a new species from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 247 (3): 353–381. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2008/0247-0353.
  6. ^ Zhang, Xinwen; Ren, Dong; Pang, Hong; Shih, Chungkun (2010-01-27). "Late Mesozoic Chresmodids with Forewing from Inner Mongolia, China (Polyneoptera: Archaeorthoptera)". Acta Geologica Sinica. English Edition. 84 (1): 38–46. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2010.00168.x.
  7. ^ Zhang, Weiwei; Wanzhi Cai; Wenzhu Li; Xingke Yang; Siqin Ge (2017). "A new species of Chresmodidae from Mid-Cretaceous amber discovered in Myanmar" (PDF). Zoological Systematics. 42 (2): 243–247. doi:10.11865/zs.201714.
  8. ^ Solnhofen Fossilien Atlas
  9. ^ A. G. Ponomarenko Fossil insects from the Tithonian «Solnhofener Plattenkalke» in the Museum of Natural History, Vienna
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