List of prehistoric insects
Prehistoric 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 . Forms similar to many modern insects had already evolved before the dawning of the dinosaur and lived alongside them and beyond up to the present day. Like today, prehistoric insects were an important part of the food chain in their time.
The differences between modern and prehistoric varieties can be essential, and, like many other creatures of prehistory, the latter tended to be much larger than their contemporary equivalents. This size difference is thought to be due to higher atmospheric oxygen levels (allowing diffusion through spiracles over greater distances), higher temperatures (enhancing metabolism), and the absence of birds as key predators of insect life.
Since insects have chitin exoskeletons rather than mineralized bones, their burial processes differ compared to the fossils of much larger vertebrates such as dinosaurs. Many insect remains are found preserved in the hardened sap of ancient trees (amber).
Selected taxa
Incomplete list of prehistoric insects arranged by extinction date:
Devonian
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rhyniognatha |
Tillyard, 1928 |
Rhynie Chert |
oldest described insect |
Carboniferous
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Meganeura |
Brongniart, 1885 |
Europe |
three described species |
||
Bohemiatupus |
Prokop & Nel, 2010 |
Kladno Formation |
A griffenfly |
||
Sinomeganeura |
Ren, Nel & Prokop, 2008 |
Tupo Formation |
A griffenfly |
Permian
- Palaeodictyopteroidea
Jurassic
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Formosibittacus |
Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 |
Jiulongshan Formation |
A hangingfly |
||
Jurahylobittacus |
Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 |
Jiulongshan Formation |
A hangingfly |
||
Mongolbittacus |
Petrulevicius, Huang & Ren, 2007 |
Jiulongshan Formation |
A hangingfly |
||
Ororaphidia |
Engel & Ren, 2008 |
Jiulongshan Formation |
A snakefly |
Cretaceous
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afromyrma |
Dlussky, Brothers & Rasnitsyn, 2004 |
A myrmicin ant |
|||
Afropone |
Dlussky, Brothers & Rasnitsyn, 2004 |
A ponerin ant, 2 species |
|||
Alavaraphidia |
Pérez-de la Fuente, et al, 2012 |
Spanish amber |
A snakefly |
||
Amarantoraphidia |
Pérez-de la Fuente, et al, 2012 |
Spanish amber |
A snakefly |
||
Armaniidae |
Dlussky, 1983 |
Asia and Africa |
A family of "ant like wasps" |
||
Astreptolabis |
Engel, 2011 |
Burmese amber |
An earwig |
||
Burmomyrma |
Dlussky, 1996 |
Burmese amber |
A possible aneuretin ant, one species |
||
Cantabroraphidia |
Pérez-de la Fuente, et al, 2010 |
Spanish amber |
A snakefly |
||
Deinodryinus? aptianus |
Olmi, Rasnitsyn & Guglielmino, 2010 |
Khurilt rock unit |
An earwig |
||
Ektatotricha |
Chatzimanolis et al, 2010 |
Burmese amber |
A rove beetle |
||
Haidomyrmex |
Dlussky, 1996 |
Burmese amber |
A sphecomyrmin ant, three species |
||
Haidomyrmodes |
Perrichot et al, 2008 |
Charentese amber |
A sphecomyrmin ant |
||
Haidoterminus |
McKellar, Glasier, & Engel, 2013 |
Canadian amber |
A sphecomyrmin ant |
||
Iberoraphidia |
Jepson, Ansorge & Jarzembowski, 2011 |
Serra del Montsec |
A snakefly |
||
Kachinus |
Chatzimanolis et al, 2010 |
Burmese amber |
A rove beetle |
||
Lebanoraphidia |
Bechly & Wolf-Schwenninger, 2011 |
Lebanese amber |
A snakefly |
||
Mesojassoides |
Oman, 1937 |
Fox Hills Formation |
A leafhopper |
||
Nanoraphidia |
Engel, 2002 |
Burmese amber |
A snakefly |
||
Necroraphidia |
Pérez-de la Fuente, et al, 2010 |
Spanish amber |
A snakefly |
||
Plumalexius |
Brothers, 2011 |
New Jersey Amber |
A wasp of the extinct family Plumalexiidae |
||
Proraphidia |
Martynova, 1941 |
Europe & Asia |
A Jurassic - Cretaceous snakefly genus; three species |
||
Styporaphidia |
Engel & Ren, 2008 |
Europe & Asia |
A Jurassic - Cretaceous snakefly genus; two species |
||
Tytthodiplatys |
Engel, 2011 |
Burmese amber |
An earwig |
||
Undulopsychopsis |
Peng, Makarkin, Wang, & Ren, 2011 |
Yixian Formation |
A silky lacewing |
||
Zigrasimecia |
Barden & Grimaldi, 2013 |
Burmese amber |
A sphecomyrmin ant |
Eocene
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agroecomyrmex |
Wheeler, 1910 |
Baltic amber |
An agroecomyrmecin ant |
||
Agulla protomaculata |
Engel, 2011 |
Green River Formation |
A snake fly |
||
Anonychomyrma constricta |
(Mayr, 1868) |
Baltic amber |
A dolichoderin ant |
||
Anonychomyrma geinitzi |
(Mayr, 1868) |
Baltic amber |
A dolichoderin ant |
||
Anonychomyrma samlandica |
(Wheeler, 1915) |
Baltic amber |
A dolichoderin ant |
||
Anthidium exhumatum |
Cockerell, 1906 |
Florissant Formation |
A mason bee |
||
Anthidium scudderi |
Cockerell, 1906 |
Florissant Formation |
A mason bee |
||
Aphaenogaster donisthorpei |
Carpenter, 1930 |
Florissant Formation |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster mayri |
Carpenter, 1930 |
Florissant Formation |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster mersa |
Wheeler, 1915 |
Baltic amber |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster oligocenica |
Wheeler, 1915 |
Baltic amber |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti |
Mayr, 1868 |
Baltic amber |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Archiinocellia |
Handlirsch, 1910 |
Horsefly beds |
A snake fly |
||
Archimyrmex |
Cockerell, 1923 |
Green River Formation, Messel Pit, |
, |
A myrmeciine ant genus, four species described |
|
Archiponera |
Carpenter, 1930 |
Florissant Formation |
A ponerine ant |
||
Arostropsis |
Yunakov & Kirejtshuk, 2011 |
Baltic Amber |
A broad nosed weevil |
||
Asymphylomyrmex |
Wheeler, 1915 |
Baltic Amber |
A dolichoderine ant. |
||
Avitomyrmex |
Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 |
McAbee Fossil Beds |
A bulldog ant gneus; three species known |
||
Baltimartyria |
Skalski, 1995 |
Baltic amber |
A metallic moth, two species |
||
Brevivulva |
Gibson, 2009 |
Baltic amber |
A parasitic wasp |
||
Carmenelectra |
Evenhuis, 2002 |
Baltic amber |
A Mythicomyiidae fly |
||
Deinodryinus areolatus |
(Ponomarenko, 1975) |
Baltic Amber |
A dryinid wasp |
||
Deinodryinus velteni |
Guglielmino & Olmi, 2011 |
Baltic Amber |
A dryinid wasp |
||
Denaeaspis |
Chaboo & Engel, 2009 |
Green River Formation |
A tortoise beetle |
||
Dinokanaga |
Archibald, 2005 |
Canada and the United States |
|
A scorpion fly genus, six species |
|
Dinopanorpa |
Cockerell, 1924 |
Khutsin Formation |
A scorpion fly |
||
Diochus electrus |
Chatzimanolis & Engel, 2011 |
Baltic amber |
a rove beetle |
||
Dominickus |
Tindale, 1985 |
Florissant Formation |
A butterfly-moth |
||
Electrinocellia |
Engel, 1995 |
Baltic amber |
A snake fly |
||
Electrostephanus |
Brues, 1933 |
Baltic amber |
A crown wasp, 4 species |
||
Emiliana |
Shcherbakov, 2006 |
Green River Formation |
A plant-hopper |
||
Epiborkhausenites |
Skalski, 1973 |
Baltic amber |
A concealer moth |
||
Eosacantha |
Chaboo & Engel, 2009 |
Green River Formation |
A tortoise beetle |
||
Eriocampa tulameenensis |
Rice, 1968 |
Allenby Formation |
A tenthredinid sawfly |
||
Eulithomyrmex |
Carpenter, 1935 |
Florissant Formation |
An agroecomyrmecin ant |
||
Fibla carpenteri |
Engel, 1995 |
Baltic amber |
A snakefly |
||
Formicium |
John O. Westwood, 1854 |
North America and Europe |
A form genus of ants |
||
Glisachaemus |
Szwedo, 2007 |
Baltic amber |
A plant-hopper |
||
Halictus? savenyei |
Engel & Archibald, 2003 |
Princeton Group |
A sweat bee |
||
Hydriomena? protrita |
Cockerell, 1922 |
Florissant Formation |
A geometrid moth |
||
Macabeemyrma |
Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 |
McAbee Fossil Beds |
A bulldog ant |
||
Metapelma archetypon |
Gibson, 2009 |
Baltic amber |
A parasitic wasp |
||
Microberotha |
Archibald & Makarkin, 2004 |
Hat Creek Amber |
A lacewing |
||
Myrmeciities |
Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 |
Canada and the United States |
|
A bulldog ant form genus |
|
Nanotermes |
Engel & Grimaldi, 2011 |
Cambay Amber |
A termite |
||
Neanaperiallus |
Gibson, 2009 |
Baltic amber |
A parasitic wasp |
||
Neoephemera antiqua |
Sinitchenkova, 1999 |
Klondike Mountain Formation |
A mayfly |
||
Ordralfabetix |
Szwedo, 2011 |
Oise amber |
A plant-hopper |
||
Palaeovespa |
Cockerell, 1906 |
Baltic amber |
|
A vespid wasp; |
|
Pristomyrmex rasnitsyni |
Dlussky & Radchenko, 2011 |
Scandinavian amber |
An ant |
||
Prodryas |
Scudder, 1878 |
Florissant Formation |
A butterfly |
||
Prostylotermes |
Engel & Grimaldi, 2011 |
Cambay Amber |
A termite |
||
Protostephanus |
Cockerell, 1906 |
Florissant Formation |
A crown wasp |
||
Pseudosiobla campbelli |
Rice, 1968 |
Allenby Formation |
A tenthredinid sawfly |
||
Raphidia funerata |
Engel, 2003 |
Florissant Formation |
A snakefly |
||
Tortrix? destructus |
Cockerell, 1917 |
Florissant Formation |
A tortricid moth |
||
Tortrix? florissantana |
Cockerell, 1917 |
Florissant Formation |
A tortricid moth |
||
Ypresiomyrma |
Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 |
McAbee Fossil Beds |
|
A bulldog ant genus |
|
Zophotermes |
Engel & Singh, 2011 |
Cambay Amber |
A termite |
Oligocene
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aphaenogaster longaeva |
Scudder, 1877 |
Fraser Formation? |
myrmicin ant species, generic placement uncertain |
||
Miocene
Name |
Authors |
Unit |
Location |
Notes |
Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acanthognathus poinari |
Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A trap-jaw ant |
||
Acanthostichus hispaniolicus |
De Andrade, 1998 |
Dominican amber |
A doryline ant |
||
Acropyga glaesaria |
Lapolla, 2005 |
Dominican amber |
Oldest record of trophophoresy in ants |
||
Anochetus ambiguus |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus brevidentatus |
MacKay, 1991 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus conisquamis |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus dubius |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus exstinctus |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus intermedius |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anochetus lucidus |
De Andrade, 1994 |
Dominican amber |
A ponerin ant |
||
Anthophorula persephone |
Engel, 2012 |
Dominican amber |
A bee |
||
Aphaenogaster amphioceanica |
De Andrade, 1995 |
Dominican amber |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster avita |
Fujiyama, 1970 |
Chojabaru Formation |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Aphaenogaster praerelicta |
De Andrade, 1995 |
Mexican amber |
A myrmicin ant |
||
Apterostigma electropilosum |
Schultz, 2007 |
Dominican amber |
A myrmicin fungus farming ant |
||
Apterostigma eowilsoni |
Schultz, 2007 |
Dominican amber |
A myrmicin fungus farming ant |
||
Attopsis longipennis |
Heer, 1849 |
Radoboj |
A formicine ant. |
||
Augochlora leptoloba |
Engel, 1995 |
Dominican amber |
A sweat bee |
||
Dryinus grimaldii |
Olmi, 1995 |
Dominican amber |
A dryinid wasp |
||
Dryinus rasnitsyni |
Olmi & Guglielmino, 2011 |
Dominican amber |
A dryinid wasp |
||
Eickwortapis |
Michener & Poinar, 1996 |
Dominican amber |
A sweat bee |
||
Electromyrmococcus |
Williams, 2001 |
Dominican amber |
A mealybug; three described species |
||
Electrotettix |
|
Dominican amber |
A tetrigid grasshopper. |
||
Hyptia deansi |
Henderickx, 2012 |
Mexican amber |
Late Oligocene - Early Miocene; An ensign wasp |
||
Leptofoenus pittfieldae |
Engel, 2009 |
Dominican amber |
A pteromalid wasp |
||
Lutzomyia adiketis |
Poinar, 2008 |
Dominican amber |
A phlebotomid fly |
||
Mastotermes electromexicus |
Krishna & Emerson, 1983 |
Mexican amber |
Late Oligocene - Early Miocene |
||
Neocorynura electra |
Engel, 1995 |
Dominican amber |
A sweat bee |
||
Nesagapostemon |
Engel, 2009 |
Dominican amber |
A sweat bee |
||
Neurosymploca? oligocenica |
Fernández-Rubio & Nel, 2000 |
paleolake Céreste |
A zygaenid moth |
||
Oligochlora |
Engel, 1996 |
Dominican amber |
A sweat bee genus, six species |
||
Parastylotermes |
Snyder & Emerson, 1949 |
North America, Europe, India |
A termite genus; |
||
Pintomyia falcaorum |
Brazil & Andrade Filho, 2002 |
Dominican amber |
A phlebotomin fly |
||
Protosialis casca |
Engel & Grimaldi, 2007 |
Dominican amber |
An alderfly |
||
Syndesus ambericus |
Woodruff, 2009 |
Dominican amber |
A stag beetle |
||
Schwenckfeldina archoica |
Mohrig & Solórzano Kraemer, 2007 |
Mexican amber |
Late Oligocene - Early Miocene; A sciarid fly |
||
Tainosia |
Szwedo, 2001 |
Dominican amber |
A plant-hopper |
||
Termitaradus avitinquilinus |
Grimaldi & Engel, 2008 |
Dominican amber |
A termite bug |
||
Termitaradus dominicanus |
Poinar, 2011 |
Dominican amber |
A termite bug |
||
Termitaradus mitnicki |
Engel, 2009 |
Dominican amber |
A termite bug |
||
Termitaradus protera |
Brongniart, 1885 |
Mexican amber |
Late Oligocene - Early Miocene; A termite bug |
||
Triatoma dominicana |
Poinar, 2005 |
Dominican amber |
An assassin bug |
See also
- Prehistoric life
- Prehistoric Lepidoptera
External links
- Insects in the Age of Reptiles
- Insect Fossils A timechart and evolutionary history
- International Palaeoentomological Society
- Palaeoentomology in Russia in both English and Russian