A new assessment of Rhyniella, the earliest known insect, from the Devonian of Rhynie, Scotland

Abstract

The search for insects (Class Hexapoda) in rocks of Devonian and Lower Carboniferous age (325-415 Myr BP) has continued for many years because so little is known of the early history of these diverse and abundant animals. In 1926, four head capsules of an insect, named Rhyniella praecursor, were discovered in Lower Devonian chert from Rhynie, Aberdeenshire1 by examining thin fragments of this chert, which are rather translucent, like amber. Subsequently, about 10 additional specimens were found showing the legs and thorax of this insect2. It has become generally accepted that R. praecursor belongs to the living Order Collembola or springtails, a widespread, flightless group of insects. However, several characters of Collembola were not preserved in the fossils and doubts remained. Furthermore, the apparent similarity of Rhyniella to some specialized modern Collembola3 has suggested that Rhyniella was a modern contaminant4. Our research shows that Rhyniella is not a contaminant; we have also found the first intact abdomen of Rhyniella which has a special locomotory appendage similar to that of modern Collembola. © 1981 Nature Publishing Group.