Eorpa (genus)
Eorpa Temporal range:
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E. elverumi holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Mecoptera |
Family: | †Eorpidae Archibald, Mathewes, & Greenwood, 2013 |
Genus: | †Eorpa Archibald, Mathewes, & Greenwood, 2013 |
Species | |
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Eorpidae is a small family of
found in Western North America have been placed into the genus: E. elverumi, E. jurgeni, and E. ypsipeda.History and classification
When described, Eorpidae was identified from a series of over thirty-five
The family, genus, and species were first described by
E. elverumi was described from two fossil wings, the holotype SRUI 08-07-07 a&b and the paratype SRUI 08-02-01 a&b, both found in the Klondike Mountain formation. The fossils are preserved in the collections of the
Description
As with all mecopteran members, eorpids possess an elongated rostrum and four elongated wings of nearly equal size, and uniquely a "Radial1" vein which almost reaches the apex of the wing. Eorpidae is distinguished from most other panorpoid families by five branches of the medial vein. The elongated abdomen as seen in Holcorpidae, and by the much less curved nature of "Radial1" vein seen in Dinopanorpidae separate Eorpidae from those two families.[1]
E. elverumi
E. elverumi has a forewing that is light in color to largely hyaline, with a darker tone to the pterostigmal region. The species is distinct from the sister species in that it lacks the 4th and 5th forks of the subcubital veins, which the other two species have. Also the wing has a number of crossveins that connect the Ms vein to the CuA.[1]
E. jurgeni
The hindwing of E. jurgeni is similar in outline to E. elverumi in that it is broad in depth, but unlike that species, it has a mottled color patterning to the wing. The cross-veination of the wing is also much less robust. Overall it is estimated the wing woulds have been between 17–18 mm (0.67–0.71 in) in length, but only 16 mm (0.63 in) in preserved length and is missing the apical portion. It is also the broadest hindwing, at 8 mm (0.31 in), of all the specimens studied for the type descriptions. The wing has an R1 vein which forks from the Radial vein more basally then in E. ypsipeda.[1]
E. ypsipeda
The E. ypsipeda forewings are distinct from E. elverumi in that they all have Sc4 and Sc5 forks on the Sc vein. There are no cross veins connecting either the Rs3 and Rs4 or the M3 and M4. The wings all have a notable patterning to the coloration and range from 15.5–16.5 mm (0.61–0.65 in) in length. The head and body have the general panorpiod body morphology, though the legs show fine annular hair growths. The wings have a generally dark coloration, with two lighter windows in the middle area the one closer to the apex being slightly chevron shaped and the base window more spot like.[1]
References
- ^ S2CID 88292018.