A group of scientists from Sun Yat-sen College’s Shenzhen Grounds, in collaboration with a partner from the State Key Research Facility of Cell Stress Science, both in China, have discovered the most seasoned known fossil record of larval neuropterans.
The group describes the fossil as a monster winged serpent lacewing hatchling discovered at the dig site Daohugou Beds in Inner Mongolia, China, in their paper published in the journal Procedures of the Regal Society B.
Lacewings are a type of bug with large, clear wings that can span up to 65 mm. They live, for the most part, in North America and Europe. Previous research has revealed that they used to populate vast areas of Asia as well. They are now known to be the most experienced neuropterans, dating back around 165 million years. The exploration group has identified what they believe to be the most experienced seen to date in this new endeavor.
During a dig, a backhoe known as Bai Bingyang found what the exploration group depicts as the fossilized larval type of a lacewing bug. It was found in a layer of compacted tuffaceous siltstone alongside other old bugs. The fossil example differs from other lacewings in that it has a long neck despite having a massive body, implying that the hatchlings were very effective at catching and eating prey.
The scientists point out that these bugs are known for their stylets, which are head bulges used to wound and kill prey. In the fossil example, the stylet was set on a prolonged cervix (neck), giving it a giraffe-like look. At 41.2 millimeters long, the neck would have been sufficiently long to permit the hatchlings to take cover behind moderately tall plants or different articles as it looked over the top, looking for clueless prey.
In present-day times, lacewings live in regions around mountain streams among damp leaves; the hatchlings live in the streams. Investigation of the fossil example uncovered in this new effort recommends that the hatchlings inhabited the lower part of a shallow lake. The new species has been named Palaeoneurorthus baii by the researchers.
More information: Xuheng Du et al, Giant Jurassic dragon lacewing larvae with lacustrine palaeoecology represent the oldest fossil record of larval neuropterans, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2500
