New insects from the earliest Permian of Carrizo Arroyo (New Mexico, USA) bridging the gap between the Carboniferous and Permian entomofaunas

Abstract

New insects are described from the early Asselian of the Bursum Formation in Carrizo Arroyo, NM, USA. Carrizoneura carpenteri gen. et sp. nov. (Syntonopteridae) demonstrates traits in hindwing venation to Lithoneura and Syntonoptera, both known from the Moscovian of Illinois. Carrizoneura represents the latest unambiguous record of Syntonopteridae. Martynovia insignis represents the earliest evidence of Martynoviidae. Carrizodiaphanoptera permiana gen. et sp. nov. extends range of Diaphanopteridae previously restricted to Gzhelian. The re-examination of the type species Diaphanoptera munieri reveals basally coalesced vein MA with stem of R and RP resulting in family diagnosis emendation. Arroyohymen splendens gen. et sp. nov. (Protohymenidae) displays features in venation similar to taxa known from early and late Permian from the USA and Russia. A new palaeodictyopteran wing attributable to Carrizopteryx cf. arroyo (Calvertiellidae) provides data on fore wing venation previously unknown. Thus, all these new discoveries show close relationship between late Pennsylvanian and early Permian entomofaunas.