Mesopsychidae is an extinct family of scorpionflies known from the Late Permian to Mid Cretaceous. It is part of Mesopsychoidea, a group of scorpionflies with

siphon A siphon (from grc, σίφων, síphōn, "pipe, tube", also spelled nonetymologically 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 a ...

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 mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elonga ...

. 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 benefit ...

s, feeding off the liquid pollination drops and acting as pollinators for now extinct insect pollinated

gymnosperm The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, '' Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμν ...

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 are among the most common Mesozoic seed plants ...

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,

Carnian The Carnian (less commonly, Karnian) is the lowermost stage of the Upper Triassic Series (or earliest age of the Late Triassic Epoch). It lasted from 237 to 227 million years ago (Ma). The Carnian is preceded by the Ladinian and is followe ...

*'' Allochorista'' Hong 2007

Tongchuan Formation Tongchuan () 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 province (Shanbei) and the northern reaches of the Guanzhon ...

, China,

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,

Barremian The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma ( million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is pre ...

Zaza Formation The Zaza Formation is a geological formation located in Buryatia (Russia). It dates to the Lower Cretaceous period. It is Aptian in age and consists of sandstones, siltstones, marls and bituminous shales Shale is a fine-grained, clastic se ...

, Russia,

Aptian The Aptian is an age in the geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early or Lower Cretaceous Epoch or Series and encompasses the time from 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma to 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma (million years ag ...

*'' 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 conglomerate ...

, China,

Callovian In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 166.1 ± 4.0 Ma (million years ago) and 163.5 ± 4.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the ...

*'' Ferghanopsyche'' Martynov 1937 Sulyukta Formation,

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

Toarcian The Toarcian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, an age and stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 182.7 Ma (million years ago) and 174.1 Ma. It follows the Pliensbachian and is followed by the Aalenian. The Toarc ...

*'' Lichnomesopsyche'' Ren et al. 2009 Daohugou, China, Callovian *'' Mesopanorpodes'' Ren et al. 2009

Vokhma Formation Vokhma (russian: Во́хма) is a rural locality (a '' settlement'') and the administrative center of Vokhomsky District, Kostroma Oblast, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern ...

, Russia,

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 251.902 m ...

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. It is ...

, Australia,

Anisian In the geologic timescale, the Anisian is the lower stage or earliest age of the Middle Triassic series or epoch and lasted from million years ago until million years ago. The Anisian Age succeeds the Olenekian Age (part of the Lower Trias ...

, Tongchuan Formation, China, Ladinian *'' Mesopsyche'' Tillyard 1917 (Possibly

paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

) Vyazniki Formation, Mal'tseva Formation, Russia, Changhsingian, Blackstone Formation, Australia,

Norian The Norian is a division of the Triassic Period. It has the rank of an age ( geochronology) or stage (chronostratigraphy). It lasted from ~227 to million years ago. It was preceded by the Carnian and succeeded by the Rhaetian. Stratigraphic ...

, Tongchuan Formation, China, Ladinian,

Madygen Formation The Madygen Formation (Russian language, Russian: Madygen Svita) is a Late Triassic (Carnian) geologic formation and Lagerstätte in the Batken Region, Batken and Osh Regions of western Kyrgyzstan, with minor outcrops in neighboring Tajikistan and ...

, Kyrgyzstan, Carnian,

Amisan Formation The Amisan Formation () is an Late Triassic geologic Formation (geology), formation in South Korea. Fossil records from this formation include plants, insects, and fish remains. Geology The Amisan Formation in the Chungnam Basin overlies the Ha ...

, South Korea, Norian, Protopivka Formation, Ukraine, Norian *'' Mesoses'' Riek 1976 Gayndah Formation, Australia, Anisian, Molteno Formation, South Africa, Carnian *'' Permopsyche'' Bashkuev 2011 Croudace Bay Formation, Australia, Changhsingian,

Poldarsa Formation Poldarsa (russian: Полдарса) is a rural locality (a village) in Opokskoye Rural Settlement, Velikoustyugsky District, Vologda Oblast Vologda Oblast ( rus, Вологодская область, p=vəlɐˈɡotskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ, r=V ...

, Russia,

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 Series. ...

*'' 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 (g ...

, 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,

Bajocian In the geologic timescale The geologic time scale, or geological time scale, (GTS) is a representation of time based on the rock record of Earth. It is a system of chronological dating that uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relatin ...

Bathonian In the geologic timescale the Bathonian is an age and stage of the Middle Jurassic. It lasted from approximately 168.3 Ma to around 166.1 Ma (million years ago). The Bathonian Age succeeds the Bajocian Age and precedes the Callovian Age. St ...

*'' Tipulidites'' Wieland 1925 Potrerillos Formation, Argentina, Carnian *'' Turanopsyche'' Martynov 1937 Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian *'' Undisca'' Sukacheva 1990

Glushkovo Formation Glushkovo (russian: Глушково) is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia. ;Urban localities * Glushkovo, Glushkovsky District, Kursk Oblast, a work settlement in Glushkovsky District of Kursk Oblast ;Rural localities * Glushko ...

Tithonian In the geological timescale, the Tithonian is the latest age of the Late Jurassic Epoch and the uppermost stage of the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 152.1 ± 4 Ma and 145.0 ± 4 Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by t ...

*'' Vitimopsyche'' Novokshonov and Sukacheva 2001 Daohugou, China, Callovian,

Yixian Formation The Yixian Formation (; formerly transcribed as Yihsien Formation) is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China, that spans the late Barremian and early Aptian stages of the Early Cretaceous. It is known for its ...

, China, Aptian Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian *''Xinjiangia'' Hong 1983 Kezileinuer Formation, Xinjiang, China, Bajocian

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4044062 Mecoptera Prehistoric insect families Permian first appearances