The First Permian Representative of the Family Xenopteridae (Orthoptera: Ensifera)

Abstract

A new genus and a new species, Permoxenopterum laticostum gen. et sp. n., are described from the Lopingian deposits of the Tarkastad Subgroup of the Beaufort Group in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This genus is the most ancient representative of the Xenopteridae, which has been previously known from the Middle and Upper Triassic of Asia, Australia and South Africa. The systematic position of this genus within the family is briefly discussed.