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pmid: 34197727
The Triassic was a crucial period for the early evolution and diversification of insects, including Coleoptera1-3-the most diverse order of organisms on Earth. The study of Triassic beetles, however, relies almost exclusively on flattened fossils with limited character preservation. Using synchrotron microtomography, we investigated a fragmentary Upper Triassic coprolite, which contains a rich record of 3D-preserved minute beetle remains of Triamyxa coprolithica gen. et sp. nov. Some specimens are nearly complete, preserving delicate structures of the legs and antennae. Most of them are congruent morphologically, implying that they are conspecific. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that T. coprolithica is a member of Myxophaga, a small suborder of beetles with a sparse fossil record, and that it represents the only member of the extinct family Triamyxidae fam. nov. Our findings highlight that coprolites can contain insect remains, which are almost as well preserved as in amber. They are thus an important source of information for exploring insect evolution before the Cretaceous-Neogene "amber time window." Treated as food residues, insect remains preserved in coprolites also have important implications for the paleoecology of insectivores, in this case, likely the dinosauriform Silesaurus opolensis.
PHASE CONTRAST, Evolutionary Biology, Insecta, Arthropoda, PHASE CONTRAST MICROTOMOGRAPHY, Fossils, DINOSAUR TENDON, BIOLOGY, Biodiversity, Triamyxidae, Hydroscaphidae, Multidisciplinär geovetenskap, Amber, Evolutionsbiologi, Coleoptera, Animalia, Animals, Geosciences, Multidisciplinary, PALEONTOLOGY, Phylogeny, Taxonomy
PHASE CONTRAST, Evolutionary Biology, Insecta, Arthropoda, PHASE CONTRAST MICROTOMOGRAPHY, Fossils, DINOSAUR TENDON, BIOLOGY, Biodiversity, Triamyxidae, Hydroscaphidae, Multidisciplinär geovetenskap, Amber, Evolutionsbiologi, Coleoptera, Animalia, Animals, Geosciences, Multidisciplinary, PALEONTOLOGY, Phylogeny, Taxonomy
citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 37 | |
popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
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