Modern thrips families thripidae and phlaeothripidae in early cretaceous amber (insecta: Thysanoptera)

Abstract

Two specimens of Thysanoptera with forked sensilla on third and fourth antennal segments were described from the Lebanese Neocomian and the Spanish Albian ambers, and attributed to the new genus Tethysthripsn. gen. in the family Thripidae Stevens 1829. One specimen with a tubular tenth abdominal segment was also discovered in the Lebanese Neocomian amber, and attributed to the new genus Rohrthripsn. gen. belonging to the family Phlaeothripidae Uzel 1895. Thripidae and Phlaeothripidae are nowadays the most species-rich families of Thysanoptera. The present discoveries of Early Cretaceous fossils show how diversified these families and thrips already were at that time. Moreover, this tubuliferan Rohrthrips specimen has plesiomorphies no longer present in the recent genera, in particular on the wings. Therefore it brings new insight in the evolution of Tubulifera. © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.