Papers by Valerie Ngô Muller
Palaeoentomology, 2020
Examination of mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber reveals a new species of Atelestidae: Alavesia myanma... more Examination of mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber reveals a new species of Atelestidae: Alavesia myanmarensis sp. nov., and the female of the dolichopodid Microphorites pouilloni Ngô-Muller & Nel, 2020. Both are described and illustrated. Alavesia myanmarensis sp. nov. is the first species of Alavesia from the mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. The oldest records of this genus of small Diptera are from the Early to Late Cretaceous ambers of Spain, while the Burmese amber was probably produced on an island during the mid-Cretaceous, which had separated from Gondwana during the Jurassic. It suggests a possible Late Jurassic origin of the genus Alavesia.
This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Ngô... more This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Ngô-Muller, Valerie, Engel, Michael S., Nel, Andre, Nel, Jacques (2020): First fossil Eriocottidae discovered in Eocene Baltic amber (Insecta: Lepidoptera). Zootaxa 4834 (2): 273-282, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4834.2.7
FIGURE 3. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340), view of for... more FIGURE 3. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340), view of forelegs from below. A. Right foreleg. B. Left foreleg. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.
Genus <i>Eocompsoctena</i> gen. nov. <b>Type species</b>. <i>Eocomp... more Genus <i>Eocompsoctena</i> gen. nov. <b>Type species</b>. <i>Eocompsoctena macroptera</i> <b>sp</b>. <b>nov</b>. <b>Etymology</b>. The new genus-group name is a combination of the prefix from Eocene and the generic name <i>Compsoctena</i> Zeller, 1852 type genus of the subfamily. The gender of the name is considered to be feminine. <b>Diagnosis</b>. i) ocelli absent; ii) pecten on scape; iii) proboscis short, uncoiled and serrate; iv) maxillary palpus as long as proboscis and first labial palpomere; v) labial palpus with three palpomeres and ventral scale brush, third palpomere as long as second palpomere, longer than first palpomere; vi) ten veins arising separately from discal cell, all simple; vii) ac and ic present; viii) CuP elongate, surpassing level of discal cell apex, but not reaching wing margin; ix) hind wing ic present, shorter than that of forewing, x) six simple veins arisin...
FIGURE 2. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340). A. Left win... more FIGURE 2. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340). A. Left wings extended from body, as preserved, with small arrows indicating putative insertions of microtrichia (boxed inset: an expanded view of the leftmost labeled microtrichium, marked by arrow, from the larger image). B. Line drawing of fore- and hind wing venation. Abbreviations: ac = accessory cell; ic = intercalary cell. Scale bars = 1 mm.
<i>Eocompsoctena macroptera</i> sp. nov. (Figs 1–3) <b>Etymology</b>. The... more <i>Eocompsoctena macroptera</i> sp. nov. (Figs 1–3) <b>Etymology</b>. The specific epithet refers to the macropterous condition of the holotype's wings. <b>Material</b>. Holotype MNHN.F. A71340 (a complete female), conserved in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France. <b>Age and outcrop</b>. Eocene Baltic amber, exact country of origin unknown (historical collection at the MNHN). <b>Diagnosis</b>. As for the genus (<i>vide supra</i>), with the following addition: i) macropterous female; ii) forewing apparently with a darker zone along anterior margin and iii) a light brown zone along vein CuP. <b>Description</b>. Female. Head (figs 1A, 1B): frons bulged with erect scales; ocelli absent; antenna filiform, extending to a point slightly distal to half of forewing costa, with tufts of long thin setae on each flagellomere, a pecten present on scape with six long setae; proboscis as long as maxillary palpus but distinct, uncoiled and serrate; maxillary palpus with probably three (?) palpomeres, as long as proboscis and first labial palpomere; labial palpus with three palpomeres, first and second palpomeres with a ventral scale brush, third palpomere as long as second palpomere, longer than first palpomere. Forewing (figs 2A, 2B) 7.6 mm long, 2.7 mm wide. Apparently dark blackish brown, possibly with microtrichia, ten veins arising from discal cell, all simple, with only R4 and R5 with common point of origin but lacking a combined stem, and all other veins well separated basally; R5 terminating on termen; ac and ic present, ic longer than ac; CuP distally effaced, not reaching posterior wing margin, but quite elongate, surpassing level of discal cell apex; anal veins beyond anal loop fused into A1+2; fringe not preserved. Hind wing ca. 6.1 mm long, 2.8 mm wide, with six veins originating from discal cell, all simple and well separated basally; ic present; fringe not preserved; frenulum not visible. Epiphysis quite slender, arising from proximal half of tibia and extending beyond distal end of tibia (figs [...]
FIGURE 1. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340). A. Dorsal h... more FIGURE 1. Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (MNHN.F.A71340). A. Dorsal habitus. B. Detail of head in oblique lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Zootaxa, 2020
Symphoromyia clerci sp. nov. is described from the Eocene Baltic amber. Even if it has nearly all... more Symphoromyia clerci sp. nov. is described from the Eocene Baltic amber. Even if it has nearly all the characters of the extant species of Symphoromyia subgenus Symphoromyia, it differs from these flies in the short scape, as long as the pedicel (at least twice as long in extant taxa). This fossil is twice as large as those that were previously described from the same amber. These taxa need to be revised to verify their generic attribution. Symphoromyia clerci sp. nov. is the second fossil species attributable to this genus on the basis of ‘modern’ characters. The extant Symphoromyia are frequently hematophagous on mammals, suggesting a similar biology for the Eocene representatives of this genus.
Cretaceous Research, 2020
Palaeoentomology, 2020
Paleoentomologists well know that the examination of fossil insects in amber is often complicated... more Paleoentomologists well know that the examination of fossil insects in amber is often complicated. Even if the amber is well-polished, the presence of small scratches at the surface and inner impurities generates reflections that limit observations. Prominent characters for taxonomy thus may not be visible even when preserved. Several solutions have been proposed to enhance the observation of fossil insects in amber. Most of them aim at limiting the number of optical medium interfaces, and thus reducing optical artefacts such as refraction and reflection. For example, amber may be embedded in Canada balsam or artificial resins (Azar & Nel, 1998; Green, 2001; Sidorchuk, 2013; Penney & Jepson, 2014; Sidorchuk & Vorontsov, 2018). However, these methods limit viewing angles and thus the observation of characters, are technically challenging and often irreversible. Another type of method is to immerse the piece of amber in a liquid with a refractive index as close as possible to the ambe...
Palaeoentomology, 2020
Syrphid flies are an important clade of pollinators, and predators on several insect groups. The ... more Syrphid flies are an important clade of pollinators, and predators on several insect groups. The oldest record of its stem lineage is late Cretaceous, but this family really diversified during the Eocene-Oligocene, with a rather sparse fossil record. Here we describe from the Baltic amber the new genus and species Eoxanthandrus garroustei gen. et sp. nov., the first fossil representative of the Syrphinae ‘group’ Bacchini and Melanostomini. Its closest extant relatives prey on caterpillars, while the other Syrphinae generally prey on Hemiptera. This specialized biology possibly dates back to the middle Eocene.
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2020
Two new bethylid wasps from Cenomanian Burmese amber, one tentatively placed in †Protopristocerin... more Two new bethylid wasps from Cenomanian Burmese amber, one tentatively placed in †Protopristocerinae: Cretapristocera longiscapa gen. & sp. nov. and one in †Holopsenellinae: Megalopsenella pouilloni gen. & sp. nov., are described and illustrated here. They provide new data on the Cretaceous diversity of the family and extend the Cenomanian Burmese amber records to six species. We discuss their systematic placements and provide identification keys to species of †Holopsenellinae and †Protopristocerinae to assist future taxonomic studies. We phylogenetically analyse Bethylidae, adding several fossil taxa to a recent study, suggesting a new hypothesis for the relationships between the different subfamilies. We also address the distribution and underestimated diversity of the family during the Cretaceous and the evolution of the venation of their wings. Finally, we discuss the possible misplacement of the families Plumariidae and †Falsiformicidae.
Cretaceous Research, 2021
The first ocydromiine hybotid fly is described and illustrated from a remarkable male preserved i... more The first ocydromiine hybotid fly is described and illustrated from a remarkable male preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Pouillonhybos venator, gen. et sp. nov., is distinguished from other members of the subfamily Ocydromiinae as well as other lineages of living and fossil Hybotidae. The holotype of P. venator exhibits spectacular specializations of the mid and hind legs, modifications likely linked to the grasping of prey either during capture and/or while feeding. The species reported here is the earliest evidence of significant leg modifications in Hybotidae indicating an early appearance of such specializations in the family's history.
The ponerine ant Anochetus miosumatrensis Ngô-Muller, Garrouste & Nel, n. sp. is described from a... more The ponerine ant Anochetus miosumatrensis Ngô-Muller, Garrouste & Nel, n. sp. is described from a fossil alate female preserved in amber of Sumatra which is reputedly of Miocene age. On the basis of the general morphology, the fossil could be attributed to the extant Sumatran species group risii Brown, 1978. By comparing with the living environment of the extant species, this ant probably lived in a warm humid forest where it was trapped in dipterocarpacean resin during nuptial flight. Until now, the known Cenozoic distribution of the genus Anochetus was restricted to the Neotropical region. Thus A. miosumatrensis Ngô-Muller, Garrouste & Nel, n. sp. brings the first record of the genus from Indomalaya biogeographic region. RÉSUMÉ La première fourmi du genre Anochetus Mayr, 1861 de l’ambre néogène de Sumatra (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). La fourmi ponérine Anochetus miosumatrensis Ngô-Muller, Garrouste & Nel, n. sp. est décrite à partir d’une femelle fossile ailée, conservée dans l’ambr...
Zootaxa
Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., the first fossil eriocottid moth, is described from Ba... more Eocompsoctena macroptera gen. et sp. nov., the first fossil eriocottid moth, is described from Baltic amber and attributed to the Compsocteninae. Comparisons are provided with the related families Dryadaulidae, Meessiidae, Psychidae, and Tineidae. The new species confirms the antiquity of ‘Tineoidea’ grade diversification. The putative Gondwanan origin of Eriocottidae is discussed.
Palaeoentomology
We describe Paleothrypticus eocenicus gen. et sp. nov., oldest and first Medeterinae from the Ear... more We describe Paleothrypticus eocenicus gen. et sp. nov., oldest and first Medeterinae from the Early Eocene Oise amber (France). Representatives of the tribes Medeterini and Systenini are recorded in the Middle Eocene Baltic amber and the Miocene amber of Mexico. These fossils show that this subfamily was already well diversified at the beginning of the Eocene.
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Papers by Valerie Ngô Muller