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Systematics and functional morphology of Iberonepa romerali n. gen. and sp., Belostomatidae from the Spanish Lower Cretaceous (Insecta, Heteroptera)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Xavier Martinez-Delclos
Affiliation:
Department de Geologia Dinàmica, Geofísica i Paleontologia, Facultat de Geologia, Barcelona University, 08071 Barcelona, Spain
Andre Nel
Affiliation:
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 45 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
Yuri A. Popov
Affiliation:
Paleontological Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya str. 123, 117647 Moscow, Russia

Abstract

Iberonepa romerali n. gen. and sp. is the most abundant insect species found in Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) lithographic limestones at “Las Hoyas,” Spain. External features of this species indicate that it should be assigned to the family Belostomatidae, with a similarity to the species Stygeonepa foersteri Popov, 1971, which was found in the Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) lithographic limestones of Solnhofen. This article discusses the relation between these two species and subfamilies of the Recent Belostomatidae. The new “Las Hoyas” species is described from adult specimens and from molts of nymphs, these differing only slightly from one another. The abundant number of specimens and the generally exceptional preservation have allowed interpretation of its probable natatory behavior on the basis of the functional morphology of the insect's legs.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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