A new, rare and distinctive species of Panorthoptera (Insecta, Archaeorthoptera) from the Upper Carboniferous of Xiaheyan (Ningxia, China)

Abstract

The Xiaheyan locality is providing abundant material on one of the earliest insect faunas. The most common species are comparatively remote relatives of Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets and katydids), belonging to the Archaeorthoptera nec Panorthoptera (the latter including crown Orthoptera). We establish the genus Sinogerarus gen. nov. to accommodate a new, rare species, S. pectinatus spec. nov., which can be conclusively assigned to Panorthoptera. It therefore represents the second occurrence of the group at this locality. The new species displays a distinctive combination of character states, adding to the knowledge of a number of Upper Carboniferous Panorthoptera whose relationships are poorly understood.