Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of whitefly from fossils found in Miocene crater lake deposits at Hindon Mar, near Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand.
Close-up of two small pupae Miotetraleurodes novaezelandiae It is attached to the leaves of angiosperms. Image credit: Drohojowska others., doi: 10.1007/s12549-024-00628-z.
Adult whiteflies are small insects about 3 mm in size, and immatures are even smaller.
The fossil discovered at Hindon Maar is approximately 1.5mm x 1.25mm and was preserved by pasting it on the back of a fossilized leaf.
It has a black, oval body and has some similarities with modern whiteflies, such as shape and color, but differs in that all parts of the body are clearly defined by deep sutures.
“Fossils of adult whiteflies are not uncommon, but unusual circumstances are required for the pupa (the protective shell in which the insect emerges) to become fossilized,” says palaeontologist at the University of Göttingen and former postdoctoral researcher at the University of Göttingen. says Dr. Uwe Kaulfus. University of Otago.
“About 15 million years ago, the pupal leaves must have been torn off the tree, blown into a small lake, sunk to the deep lake bed, become covered in sediment, and become fossils.”
“It must have happened in quick succession because the fossils of the small insects are so well preserved.”
“The new genera and species described in our study are Miotetraleurodes novaezelandiaerevealed for the first time that whitefly insects were an ecological component of ancient forests in the South Island. ”
“It was difficult to see much with the naked eye, but when we looked at the fossils under a microscope we could see amazing details,” said Emeritus Professor Daphne Lee from the University of Otago.
“The fact that they are still alive on leaves is incredible and extremely rare.”
“These small fossils are the first of their kind to be found in New Zealand, and only the third pupa fossil of this type known worldwide.”
“These new discoveries from the Otago fossil site are an important contribution to our understanding of New Zealand's past biodiversity and forest ecosystem history. It means we have a new appreciation for the importance of it.”
“Most people are interested in big fossils, big charismatic fossils, but most of the animals in the forest are insects.”
“New Zealand is home to 14,000 insect species, 90% of which are found nowhere else in the world.”
“The discovery of these tiny fossils shows that this insect group has been present in Aotearoa New Zealand for at least 15 million years.”
“This provides a well-dated calibration point for molecular phylogenetic studies.”
of study Published in a magazine Paleobiodiversity and paleoenvironment.
_____
J. Drohojovska others. The first Miocene whiteflies and parrots (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodoidea and Psylloidea) from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Paleobio Paleoembupublished online on October 1, 2024. doi: 10.1007/s12549-024-00628-z
Source: www.sci.news
