Mesopsychidae is an extinct family of
scorpionflies
Mecoptera (from the Greek language, Greek: ''mecos'' = "long", ''ptera'' = "wings") is an Order (biology), order of insects in the superorder Holometabola with about six hundred species in nine Family (biology), families worldwide. Mecopterans a ...
known from the Late Permian to Mid Cretaceous. It is part of Mesopsychoidea, a group of scorpionflies with
siphon
A siphon (; also spelled syphon) is any of a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in an inverted "U" shape, which causes a liquid to flow upward, abo ...
ate
proboscis
A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...
. They are suggested to have been
nectarivore
In zoology, a nectarivore is an animal which derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of the sugar-rich nectar produced by flowering plants.
Nectar as a food source presents a number of benefits ...
s, feeding off the liquid pollination drops and acting as pollinators for now extinct
insect pollinated
Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertise themselves with bright colours, somet ...
gymnosperm
The gymnosperms ( ; ) are a group of woody, perennial Seed plant, seed-producing plants, typically lacking the protective outer covering which surrounds the seeds in flowering plants, that include Pinophyta, conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and gnetoph ...
s such as
Bennettitales
Bennettitales (also known as cycadeoids) is an extinct order of seed plants that first appeared in the Permian period and became extinct in most areas toward the end of the Cretaceous. Bennettitales were amongst the most common seed plants of th ...
.
Systematics
*''
Afristella'' Riek 1974
Molteno Formation
The Molteno Formation is a geological formation found in several localities in Lesotho and South Africa. It lies mainly south of Maseru, near Burgersdorp, Aliwal North, Dordrecht, Molteno, and Elliot. It extends as far north as Matatiele in the ...
, South Africa, Late Triassic (
Carnian
The Carnian (less commonly, Karnian) is the lowermost stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Upper Triassic series (stratigraphy), Series (or earliest age (geology), age of the Late Triassic Epoch (reference date), Epoch). It lasted from 237 to 227.3 ...
)
*''
Allochorista'' Hong 2007
Tongchuan Formation
Tongchuan ( zh, s=铜川 , t=銅川 , p=Tóngchuān , l=copper river) is a prefecture-level city located in central Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China on the southern fringe of the Loess Plateau that defines the northern half of the pr ...
, China, Middle Triassic (
Ladinian
The Ladinian is a stage and age in the Middle Triassic series or epoch. It spans the time between Ma and ~237 Ma (million years ago). The Ladinian was preceded by the Anisian and succeeded by the Carnian (part of the Upper or Late Triassic ...
)
*''
Baissopsyche'' Novokshonov and Sukacheva 2001
Sharin-Gol Formation, Mongolia, Early Cretaceous (
Barremian
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 125.77 Ma (million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma (Historically, this stage was placed at 129.4 million to approximately 125 million years ago) It is a ...
),
Zaza Formation
The Zaza Formation is a geological formation located in Buryatia (Russia). It dates to the Lower Cretaceous. The age of the formation is disputed, and is considered likely to be Valanginian-Hauterivian, or Aptian in age. It comprises sandstones, ...
, Russia, Early Cretaceous (
Aptian
The Aptian is an age (geology), age in the geologic timescale or a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous, Early or Lower Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch or series (stratigraphy), S ...
)
*''
Epicharmesopsyche'' Shih et al. 2013
Daohugou
The Haifanggou Formation (), also known as the Jiulongshan Formation (), is a fossil-bearing rock deposit located near Daohugou () village of Ningcheng County, in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.
The formation consists of coarse conglomerates ...
, China, Middle Jurassic (
Callovian
In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 165.3 ± 1.1 Ma (million years ago) and 161.5 ± 1.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the ...
)
*''
Ferghanopsyche'' Martynov 1937
Sulyukta Formation,
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
, Early Jurassic (
Toarcian
The Toarcian is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, ICS' geologic timescale, an age (geology), age and stage (stratigraphy), stage in the Early Jurassic, Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 184.2 Megaannum, Ma (million ...
)
*''
Lichnomesopsyche'' Ren et al. 2009 Daohugou, China, Callovian
*''
Mesopanorpodes'' Ren et al. 2009
Vokhma Formation
Vokhma () is a rural locality (a ''settlement'') and the administrative center of Vokhomsky District, Kostroma Oblast, Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countrie ...
, Russia, Late Permian (
Changhsingian
In the geologic time scale, the Changhsingian or Changxingian is the latest age or uppermost stage of the Permian. It is also the upper or latest of two subdivisions of the Lopingian Epoch or Series. The Changhsingian lasted from to 251.9 Ma a ...
),
Ashfield Shale
Ashfield Shale is part of the Wianamatta group of sedimentary rocks in the Sydney Basin. It lies directly on contemporaneously eroded Hawkesbury sandstone or the Mittagong formation. These rock types were formed in the Triassic Period.
Name ...
, Australia, Middle Triassic (
Anisian
In the geologic timescale, the Anisian is the lower stage (stratigraphy), stage or earliest geologic age, age of the Middle Triassic series (stratigraphy), series or geologic epoch, epoch and lasted from million years ago until million years ag ...
), Tongchuan Formation, China, Ladinian
*''
Mesopsyche'' Tillyard 1917 (Possibly
paraphyletic
Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...
)
Vyazniki Formation,
Mal'tseva Formation, Russia, Changhsingian,
Blackstone Formation, Australia, Late Triassic (
Norian
The Norian is a division of the Triassic geological period, Period. It has the rank of an age (geology), age (geochronology) or stage (stratigraphy), stage (chronostratigraphy). It lasted from ~227.3 to Mya (unit), million years ago. It was prec ...
)
*''
Mesoses'' Riek 1976
Gayndah Formation, Australia, Anisian, Molteno Formation, South Africa, Carnian
*''
Permopsyche'' Bashkuev 2011
Croudace Bay Formation, Australia, Changhsingian,
Poldarsa Formation, Russia, Late Permian (
Wuchiapingian
In the geologic timescale, the Wuchiapingian or Wujiapingian (from in the Liangshan area of Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province ) is an age or stage of the Permian. It is also the lower or earlier of two subdivisions of the Lopingian Epoch or S ...
)
*''
Ptychopteropsis'' Martynov 1937 Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian
*''
Sogdopsyche'' Martynov 1937
Jiulongshan Formation
The Haifanggou Formation (), also known as the Jiulongshan Formation (), is a fossil-bearing rock deposit located near Daohugou () village of Ningcheng County, in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.
The formation consists of coarse Conglomerate ( ...
, China, Callovian Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian
*''
Tarantogus'' Sukatsheva 1985
Itat Formation
The Itat Formation (Russian: итатская свита) is a geologic formation in western Siberia. It was deposited in the Bajocian to Bathonian ages of the Middle Jurassic. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from ...
, Russia, Middle Jurassic (
Bajocian
In the geologic timescale, the Bajocian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic. It lasted from approximately 170.9 ±0.8 Ma to around 168.2 ±1.2 Ma (million years ago). The Bajocian Age succeeds the Aalenian Age and precedes the Bathonia ...
-
Bathonian
In the geologic timescale the Bathonian is an age (geology), age and stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Middle Jurassic. It lasted from approximately 168.2 ±1.2 annum, Ma to around 165.3 ±1.1 Ma (million years ago). The Bathonian Age succeeds ...
)
*''
Tipulidites'' Wieland 1925
Potrerillos Formation, Argentina, Carnian
*''
Turanopsyche'' Martynov 1937 Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian
*''
Turbidapsyche'' Lian and Huang 2024 Tongchuan Formation, China, Ladinian,
Madygen Formation
The Madygen Formation (Russian language, Russian: Madygen Svita) is a Middle Triassic, Middle–Late Triassic (Ladinian–Carnian) geologic formation and lagerstätte in the Batken Region, Batken and Osh Regions of western Kyrgyzstan, with minor ...
, Kyrgyzstan, Carnian,
Amisan Formation, South Korea, Norian,
Protopivka Formation, Ukraine, Norian
*''
Undisca'' Sukacheva 1990
Glushkovo Formation Glushkovo () is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia.
;Urban localities
*Glushkovo, Glushkovsky District, Kursk Oblast, a urban-type settlement, work settlement in Glushkovsky District of Kursk ...
, Late Jurassic (
Tithonian
In the geological timescale, the Tithonian is the latest age (geology), age of the Late Jurassic Epoch and the uppermost stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 149.2 ±0.7 annum, Ma and 143.1 ±0.6 (mi ...
)
*''
Vitimopsyche'' Novokshonov and Sukacheva 2001 Daohugou, China, Callovian,
Yixian Formation
The Yixian Formation (; formerly Romanization of Chinese, transcribed as Yihsien Formation or Yixiang Formation) is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China, that spans the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous. I ...
, China, Aptian Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian
*''Xinjiangia'' Hong 1983
Kezileinuer Formation, Xinjiang, China, Bajocian
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4044062
†
A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species or languages). It is one of the mo ...
Prehistoric insect families
Permian first appearances