View source for Palaeovespa

{{Short description|Extinct genus of insects}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = Late [[Thanetian]] to Early [[Priabonian]] {{fossilrange|58|34}}<ref name="NPS">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/parkoftheweek/flfo.htm |title=Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument |access-date=September 3, 2010 |publisher=[[National Park Service]]}}</ref><ref name="Pionar2005">{{cite journal |last1=Poinar |first1=G. |author-link=George Poinar Jr. |year=2005 |title=Fossil Trigonalidae and Vespidae (Hymenoptera) in Baltic amber |journal=[[Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington]] |volume=107 |issue=1 |pages=55–63 |url=http://biostor.org/reference/55642}}</ref>
| image = Palaeovespa florissantia.jpg
| image_caption = ''Palaeovespa florissantia'' specimen
| taxon = Palaeovespa
| authority = [[Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell|Cockerell]], 1906
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
*''P. baltica'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1909}}
*''P. florissantia'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1906}}
*''P. gillettei'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1906}}
*''P. relecta'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1923}}
*''P. menatensis'' <br/>{{small|Nel & Auvray, 2006}}
*''P. scudderi'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1906}}
*''P. socialis'' <br/>{{small|Pionar, 2005}}
*''P. wilsoni'' <br/>{{small|Cockerell, 1914}}
}}
'''''Palaeovespa''''' is an [[extinct]] [[genus]] of [[wasp]] in the [[Vespidae]] subfamily [[Vespinae]].<ref name="Pionar2005"/> The genus currently contains eight species: five from the [[Priabonian]] stage [[Florissant Formation]] in [[Colorado]], United States, two from the [[middle Eocene]] [[Baltic amber]] deposits of [[Europe]], and one species from the late Paleocene of France.<ref name="Pionar2005"/>
==History and classification==
The genus was first described by [[Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell|Dr. Theodore Cockerell]] in a 1906 paper published in the ''[[Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology]]''.<ref name="Cockerell1906">{{cite journal|last1=Cockerell|first1=T. D. A.|author-link=Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell|year=1906|title=Fossil Hymenoptera from Florissant, Colorado.|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4226442|journal=Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology|volume=50|pages=33–58|via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}}</ref> The genus name is a combination of the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''{{lang|el|palaios}}'', meaning "old" and ''vespa'' from the genus ''[[Hornet|Vespa]]'', the type genus of the family [[Vespidae]] where ''Palaeovespa'' is placed.
Along with the genus description, the paper contained the description of the [[type (biology)|type]] species '''''P. florissantia''''', '''''P. scudderi''''' and '''''P. gillettei''''' all from the [[Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument|Florissant Formation]].<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> Cockerell described a fourth species, '''''P. baltica''''' in 1909 from a specimen in Baltic amber.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> Five years later, in 1914, Cockerell described another species '''''P. wilsoni''''' from Florissant.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> In 1923, '''''P. relecta''''' was named by Cockerell, bring the species count to six, with five described from Florissant. ''Palaeovespa'' gained another species, '''''P. socialis''''', in 2005 when [[George Poinar Jr.]] described a second species found in Baltic amber, while the eighth, and geologically oldest species, '''''P. menatensis''''', was published by Nel ''et al'' (2006).
==Description==
[[File:Palaeovespa menatensis holotype MNHN.F.A57304 direct lighting.jpg|thumb|right|''Palaeovespa menatensis''<br/>holotype]]
''Palaeovespa'' is most similar to the [[extant taxon|extant]] genus ''Vespa'', with which it shares many similar features such as a broad rounded thorax with a sessile abdomen that is broad at the base.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> The genus however possesses wing venation that is closer to the more primitive genus ''[[Polistes]]''. Despite naming ''P. florissantia'' as the [[type species]] Cockerell noted that not all features of the genus were discernible in the ''P. forissantia'' [[holotype]].<ref name="Cockerell1906"/>
===''P. florissantia''===
At the time of description in 1906, the [[holotype]] for ''P. florissantia'' was the largest single [[hymenoptera]]n specimen that Cockerell had seen from the Florissant Formation.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> He noted that holotype specimen ''[[Museum of Comparative Zoology]] (MCZ) number 2026'' was similar in appearance, on first examination, to a large [[Scoliidae|scoliid wasp]] but that the specimen was undoubtedly a vespid.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> ''P. florissantia'' was apparently broadly black in color with the hind margins of the abdominal segments pallid in coloration, but displaying no distinct markings. The wings were possibly reddish in coloration. Though the wings are folded, the very long first discoidal, which is unique to members of Vespidae, is visible.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> The [[specific name (zoology)|specific epithet]] is a reference to the Florissant Formation, which produced the specimen.
===''P. scudderi''===
''P. scudderi'', unlike ''P. florissantia'', was described from two specimens. However only holotype specimen MCZ number 2027 was noted as a type specimen. The second specimen, MCZ number 7738, while used in the description, was not noted as a paratype.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> The species has eyes that are deeply emarginate like modern ''Vespa'' species, but unlike the modern species the eye segment above the emargination is very close to the size of the segment below.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> Also notable to ''P. scudderi'' are the strong vertical striations on the lateral prothorax lobes, a feature not seen in the other ''Palaeovespa'' species that Cockerell described in 1906.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> The head and thorax were dark, most likely black, in life, and the middle leg was black down to the apical third of the femur, at which point it shifts to a lighter tone, probably yellow or red.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> Cockerell named ''P. scudderi'' for [[Samuel Hubbard Scudder|Samuel H. Scudder]] who was the first North American [[paleoentomologist]] and collector of numerous Florissant Formation insects.
===''P. gillettei''===
Of the three species first described in 1906, ''P. gillettei'' was described from the most specimens, with five specimens being referred to the species in addition to the holotype specimen, MCZ number ''2028''.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> This species is smaller and more delicate then either ''P. florissantia'' or ''P. scudderi'' with a body length of approximately {{convert|14.5|mm|in|sp=us}}. The [[mesothorax]] possibly displayed two longitudinal stripes of yellow. The vein structure of the wings is very similar to that of ''P. scudderi'', while the base of the abdomen is smaller than that of modern ''Vespa'' species. There is little flaring in the base of the abdomen, with the broadest part being just past the middle.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/> The [[Insect wing#Wing venation|costal cell]] of the forewing shows a distinct dark area similar to the dark area on modern ''Vespa'' wings. The species was named in honor of [[Clarence Preston Gillette|Clarence P. Gillette]] in recognition of his work on Colorado insects.<ref name="Cockerell1906"/>
===''P. baltica''===
''P. baltica'' is the first of two ''Palaeovespa'' species described from [[Baltic amber]] and is known only from the type specimen, a single adult female.<ref name="Pionar2005"/><ref name="Cockerell1909">{{cite journal |last1=Cockerell |first1=T. D. A. |author-link=Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell |year=1909 |title=Descriptions of Hymenoptera from Baltic amber |journal=Mitteilungen aus dem Geologisch-Paläontologischen Institut und der Bernsteinsammlung der Universität Königsberg |volume=50 |pages=1–20 |url=http://128.146.250.117/pdfs/533/533.pdf |access-date=2010-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703033643/http://128.146.250.117/pdfs/533/533.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The species was named in 1909 by Cockerell in a paper describing a number of fossil Hymenoptera housed in the [[University of Königsberg]] amber collections.<ref name="Cockerell1909"/> ''P. baltica'' is about {{convert|16|mm|in|sp=us}} in total length with forewings about {{convert|11|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The abdomen is "rusty red" in color with the underside darkening towards the apex.<ref name="Cockerell1909"/> The legs are a dark "rusty red" or "yellowish rusty red", while the wings are "soot brown" in color.<ref name="Cockerell1909"/> In the description of ''P. socialis'', Poinar noted the inclusion of the two Baltic amber species in ''Palaeovespa'' to be dubious.<ref name="Pionar2005"/>
===''P. wilsoni''===
In 1914, five years after the publication of ''P. baltica'' and eight years after the description of the genus, Cockerell published the fourth Florissant formation species ''P. wilsoni''.<ref name="Cockerell1914">{{cite journal |last1=Cockerell |first1=T. D. A. |author-link=Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell |year=1914 |title=Miocene fossil insects |journal=[[Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia]] |volume=66 |issue=3 |pages=634–648 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fMlLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA640}}</ref> This species was described from a single female specimen recovered from [[shale]]s on the Wilson Ranch near [[Florissant, Colorado]]. The size and overall characters are similar to ''P. gillettei'' with an overall length of about {{convert|15|mm|in|sp=us}} and a forewing length of {{convert|9|mm|in|abbr=on}}, the head and thorax are black while the abdomen and legs are pale, possibly having been yellow in life.<ref name="Cockerell1914"/> The wings are glassy transparent ("[[:wikt:hyaline|hyaline]]"), with nearly colorless veins, in contrast to the wings of ''P. gillettei'' which have a dark area in the costal region.<ref name="Cockerell1914"/> The wing vein characters were considered distinct enough to discount the possibly of the ''P. wilsoni'' holotype being a variant specimen of ''P. gillettei''.<ref name="Cockerell1914"/> Cockerell coined the specific name "''wilsoni''" in honor of the owners of the Wilson ranch who aided in the fossil-collecting efforts.<ref name="Cockerell1914"/>
===''P. relecta''===
In 1923 Cockerell published his final species of ''Palaeovespa'' to be described from the Florissant Formation, ''P. relecta''.<ref name="Cockerell1923">{{cite journal |last1=Cockerell |first1=T. D. A. |author-link=Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell |year=1923 |title=Two fossil Hymenoptera from Florissant (Vespidae, Megachilidae) |journal=[[Entomological News]] |volume=24 |pages=270–271 |url=https://archive.org/details/entomologicalnew34acad |format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]]}}</ref> The type and only known specimen is part of the [[Denver Museum of Nature and Science|Colorado Museum of Natural History]] collections and was loaned to Cockerell by the museum's director at that time, [[Jesse Dade Figgins|Jesse D. Figgins]].<ref name="Cockerell1923"/> While Cockerell considered the species to be close to ''P. gillettei'', ''P. relecta'' is larger. The total length of the [[holotype]] is {{convert|17.5|mm|in|sp=us}} while the forewings are {{convert|10.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} long. ''P. relecta'' is noted for having abdominal coloration close to that of modern ''Vespa'', possessing an abdomen that is mostly black with narrow light sutural bands. The head and thorax are black, the antenna ferruginous and darkening at the extreme base. The wings are hyaline with a dusky tint along the upper margin and lightly ferruginous veins.<ref name="Cockerell1923"/>
===''P. socialis''===
''P. socialis'' is the newest addition to the genus and the second species to be described from a Baltic amber specimen.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> The holotype is a {{convert|12.8|mm|in|adj=on}} long female specimen, number H-10-175 in the Poinar Amber Collection housed at [[Oregon State University]]. The head is light in coloration with yellow bands around the eyes and mouth parts. The mesosoma is mostly black while the tergites of the abdomen are black on the front portion and yellow on the back portion.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> The specific name "''socialis''" is in reference to the probable social habits and nature of the species.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> Of the two other described Baltic amber [[Vespinae]] species, the triangular arrangement of the [[ocelli]] separate ''P. socialis'' from ''[[Vespa dasypodia]]''.<ref name="Pionar2005"/> While the size difference between ''P. baltica'' and ''P. socialis'' could be due to the specimen's being from different castes of the same species; the coloration and wing vein differences support the separation into two species. The holotype specimen is preserved with a small section of tissue with [[Prolegs|prolegs with crochets]] clenched in the [[Mandible (insect mouthpart)|mandible]]s, indicating the larvae used caterpillars as a source of protein. In his description of the species George Poinar notes the possibility that the Baltic amber species may not belong in ''Palaeovespa''.<ref name="Pionar2005"/>
=== ''P. menatensis'' ===
Oldest known species, described from the [[Thanetian]] [[Menat Formation]], a [[Diatomaceous earth|diatomite]] crater lake deposit in France<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Nel |first1=A. |last2=Auvray |first2=F. |year=2006 |title=The oldest Vespinae from the Paleocene of Menat (France) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) |journal=Zootaxa |volume=1344 |issue=1 |pages=59 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.1344.1.5 |issn=1175-5334}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7126519}}
[[Category:Baltic amber]]
[[Category:Vespidae|†]]
[[Category:Eocene insects]]
[[Category:Prehistoric insects of North America]]
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 1906]]
[[Category:Prehistoric Hymenoptera genera]]
[[Category:Florissant Formation]]