Myanmymar
Encyclopedia
Myanmymar is an extinct genus
of fairyfly
preserved in amber
from Myanmar
. It has only one species
, Myanmymar aresconoides. It is dated to the Early Cretaceous
, at least a hundred million years ago. As of 2011, it is the oldest known fossil mymarid.
from a specimen of a female embedded in Burmese amber. The amber was recovered in 2001 from the Noije Bum 2001 Summit Site, a fossil amber mine in Hukawng Valley
, Kachin State
of Myanmar. The site is dated to the Upper Albian
(97 to 110 million years ago) of the Early Cretaceous
epoch. As of 2011, this makes Myanmymar aresconoides the oldest known fossil mymarid recovered.
of fairyflies Mymaridae of the chalcid wasp
superfamily Chalcidoidea.
The generic name
Myanmymar is derived from a euphonious combination of "Myanmar" and Greek μῶμος (mōmos, "spot" or "blot"). The specific name means "resembling Arescon
", from Arescon (an extant genus of fairyfly) and Greek -εἶδος (eidos, "like", "resembling").
. The entire body length of the specimen is about half a millimeter, 535 μm. The head measures about 120 μm and have moderately sized eyes. The antenna
e have eight segments in the funicle and two on club-like tip (clava). The maxillary palp
s have three segments.
The mesosoma
(middle part of the body) is 200 μm long. It has narrow forewings, with wing venation extending up to two-thirds of the length and a rounded lobe at the base. On the margins are numerous long bristle-like projections (marginal setae), the longest of which is about twice the greatest width of the wing. The hindwings are also narrow with parallel sides. Their marginal setae are about seven times the width of the wing. Both wings do not possess microtrichia (small irregularly scattered hairs), except for two sparse rows beyond the venation of the forewings.
The legs have long tarsi
with five segments. The tibia
is not clearly visible but is assumed to be about the same length as the tarsi.
The metasoma
is longer than the mesosoma, at 225 μm. The ovipositor
is 218 μm long, with the sheath slightly extending over the tip of the metasoma.
As the specific name suggests, M. aresconoides is very similar to the extant genus Arescon in wing shape and venation. Only three other modern mymarid genera (Boudiennyia, Eustochomorpha, and Borneomymar) share all the M. aresconoides characteristics of having forewing venation longer than half the wing length, five segments on the tarsi, and eight segments on the funicles. M. aresconoides is also unique among fairyflies in having three distinct segments on the palpi. In contrast, all modern mymarids have unsegmented palpi.
Another specimen of a possible male of the species was also discovered. It is 445 μm long, with a head 148 μm wide. However, it is impossible to ascertain if they belong to the same species due to the poor condition of the second specimen.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of fairyfly
Fairyfly
Mymaridae, commonly known as fairyflies or fairy wasps, is a family of chalcid wasps found in temperate and tropical regions throughout the world. It contains around 100 genera and 1424 species. All of them are parasitoids of the eggs of other insects...
preserved in amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
from Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. It has only one species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, Myanmymar aresconoides. It is dated to the Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
, at least a hundred million years ago. As of 2011, it is the oldest known fossil mymarid.
Discovery and geologic time range
Myanmymar aresconoides was described by John T. Huber and George Poinar, Jr.George Poinar, Jr.
George O. Poinar, Jr. is an entomologist and writer. He is known for popularizing the idea of extracting DNA from insects fossilized in amber, an idea which received widespread attention when adapted by Michael Crichton for the book and movie Jurassic Park.Poinar earned a B.S. and M.S. at Cornell...
from a specimen of a female embedded in Burmese amber. The amber was recovered in 2001 from the Noije Bum 2001 Summit Site, a fossil amber mine in Hukawng Valley
Hukawng Valley
The Hukawng Valley is an isolated valley in Burma, roughly in area. It is located in Tanaing Township in the Myitkyina District of Kachin State in the northernmost part of the country.-Rivers:...
, Kachin State
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
of Myanmar. The site is dated to the Upper Albian
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous epoch/series. Its approximate time range is 112.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 99.6 ± 0.9 Ma...
(97 to 110 million years ago) of the Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
epoch. As of 2011, this makes Myanmymar aresconoides the oldest known fossil mymarid recovered.
Taxonomy
Myanmymar aresconoides is the only species belonging to the genus Myanmymar. It belongs to the familyFamily (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of fairyflies Mymaridae of the chalcid wasp
Chalcid wasp
Chalcid wasps belong to the insect order Hymenoptera, and are one of the largest groups within the order, with some 22,000 known species, and an estimated total diversity of anywhere from 60,000 to more than 500,000 species, meaning the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described.Most of...
superfamily Chalcidoidea.
The generic name
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Myanmymar is derived from a euphonious combination of "Myanmar" and Greek μῶμος (mōmos, "spot" or "blot"). The specific name means "resembling Arescon
Arescon
Arescon is a genus of fairyflies.. It contains the following species:* Arescon aspidioticola * Arescon clarkei Doutt, 1955* Arescon dallasi * Arescon dimidiata...
", from Arescon (an extant genus of fairyfly) and Greek -εἶδος (eidos, "like", "resembling").
Description
Like other fairyflies, M. aresconoides is a tiny waspWasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
. The entire body length of the specimen is about half a millimeter, 535 μm. The head measures about 120 μm and have moderately sized eyes. The antenna
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
e have eight segments in the funicle and two on club-like tip (clava). The maxillary palp
Insect mouthparts
Insects exhibit a range of mouthparts, adapted to particular modes of feeding. The earliest insects had chewing mouthparts...
s have three segments.
The mesosoma
Mesosoma
The mesosoma is the middle part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma and the metasoma. It bears the legs, and, in the case of winged insects, the wings....
(middle part of the body) is 200 μm long. It has narrow forewings, with wing venation extending up to two-thirds of the length and a rounded lobe at the base. On the margins are numerous long bristle-like projections (marginal setae), the longest of which is about twice the greatest width of the wing. The hindwings are also narrow with parallel sides. Their marginal setae are about seven times the width of the wing. Both wings do not possess microtrichia (small irregularly scattered hairs), except for two sparse rows beyond the venation of the forewings.
The legs have long tarsi
Arthropod leg
The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: coxa , trochanter , femur, tibia, tarsus, ischium, metatarsus, carpus, dactylus ,...
with five segments. The tibia
Arthropod leg
The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: coxa , trochanter , femur, tibia, tarsus, ischium, metatarsus, carpus, dactylus ,...
is not clearly visible but is assumed to be about the same length as the tarsi.
The metasoma
Metasoma
The metasoma is the posterior part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma and the mesosoma. In insects, it contains most of the digestive tract, respiratory system, and circulatory system, and the apical segments are typically...
is longer than the mesosoma, at 225 μm. The ovipositor
Ovipositor
The ovipositor is an organ used by some animals for oviposition, i.e., the laying of eggs. It consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages formed to transmit the egg, to prepare a place for it, and to place it properly...
is 218 μm long, with the sheath slightly extending over the tip of the metasoma.
As the specific name suggests, M. aresconoides is very similar to the extant genus Arescon in wing shape and venation. Only three other modern mymarid genera (Boudiennyia, Eustochomorpha, and Borneomymar) share all the M. aresconoides characteristics of having forewing venation longer than half the wing length, five segments on the tarsi, and eight segments on the funicles. M. aresconoides is also unique among fairyflies in having three distinct segments on the palpi. In contrast, all modern mymarids have unsegmented palpi.
Another specimen of a possible male of the species was also discovered. It is 445 μm long, with a head 148 μm wide. However, it is impossible to ascertain if they belong to the same species due to the poor condition of the second specimen.
See also
- Prehistoric insectsPrehistoric insectsPrehistoric insects are various groups of insects that lived before recorded history. Their study is the field of paleoentomology. Insects inhabited Earth since before the time of the dinosaurs. The earliest identifiable insect is the Devonian Rhyniognatha hirsti, estimated at...
- Paleoentomology
External links
- Myanmymar aresconoides on Species-ID