Gigatitan

Gigatitan Temporal range: Carnian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil of G. vulgaris
Life reconstruction of G. vulgaris
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	†Titanoptera
Clade:	†Gigatitanidae
Genus:	†Gigatitan Sharov, 1968
Type species
Gigatitan vulgaris Sharov, 1968
Species[1]
G. vulgaris Sharov, 1968 G. magnificus Sharov, 1968 G. extensus Sharov, 1968 G. ovatus Sharov, 1968 G. similis Sharov, 1968

Gigatitan is an extinct genus of titanopteran insect that lived in Kyrgyzstan during the Triassic period. The type species is G. vulgaris, described by Aleksandr Grigorevich Sharov in 1968.^[2] Fossils of Gigatitan have been found in the Madygen Formation.^[3] It is the type genus of the family Gigatitanidae, in which the closely related Nanotitan and Ootitan are also included.^[2][4]

Description

Gigatitan was a large insect, type species, G. vulgaris is estimated to have wingspan up to 40 centimetres (16 in).^[5] Although it had large wings, which hindwing area is close to modern large orthopteran Pseudophyllanax imperialis, body volume is estimated to be around 150% heavier than that species, suggesting Gigatitan was not able to fly, but probably able to glide.^[1] In life, Gigatitan was a mantis-like predator, with forelegs that have similarly enlarged and bore spines for prey capture.^[6] It had dark, transverse stripes on its wings, which is similar to modern diurnal mantis Blepharopsis mendica. Also, its wings were able to produce flashes which works only during day, and possibly it can substantially reduce predation from predators. These characters suggest that Gigatitan was a diurnal predator.^[1] As seen in other titanopteran insects, there are prominent fluted regions on the forewings, suggesting that may used for stridulation, but unlike modern crickets or katydids, both males and females of Gigatitan had wings for stridulation.^[1] The ovipositor of Gigatitan bore sharp cutting ridges. These were likely used to excise holes in plant matter for oviposition, similar to some modern Orthoptera.^[7]

References