Chresmodidae Temporal range: [1]
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Fossil specimen of Chresmoda obscura from Germany, on display at Galerie de paléontologie et d'anatomie comparée in Paris | |
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Family: | Chresmodidae Haase 1890
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Chresmodidae is an extinct family of Mesozoic insects within the superorder Polyneoptera. [2] [3] [4]
Prochresmoda from the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan is not currently considered part of the group and is considered to be more closely related to Triassophasma and Palaeochresmoda. [7]
Their affinities within the Polyneoptera have long been considered uncertain. [8] Some authors have suggested that they represent a derived group of cockroaches. [9]
Chresmodidae are large enigmatic insects with very long specialized legs, probably adapted for skating on the water surface, similar to extant water skaters. They can reach a size of about 17 centimetres (6.7 in). [10] [11] and even 19 centimetres (7.5 in). [12]
These Polyneoptera of uncertain position have been considered aquatic, living on the water surface, probably predaceous on nektonic small animals. [13] [14]
They lived during the Cretaceous of Brazil, China, Lebanon, Spain, United Kingdom, as well as in the Jurassic of Germany and China, from ~166.0 to 94.3 Ma. [1]
Chresmodidae Temporal range: [1]
| |
---|---|
| |
Fossil specimen of Chresmoda obscura from Germany, on display at Galerie de paléontologie et d'anatomie comparée in Paris | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Subclass: | |
Infraclass: | |
Superorder: | |
(unranked): | |
Family: | Chresmodidae Haase 1890
|
Chresmodidae is an extinct family of Mesozoic insects within the superorder Polyneoptera. [2] [3] [4]
Prochresmoda from the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan is not currently considered part of the group and is considered to be more closely related to Triassophasma and Palaeochresmoda. [7]
Their affinities within the Polyneoptera have long been considered uncertain. [8] Some authors have suggested that they represent a derived group of cockroaches. [9]
Chresmodidae are large enigmatic insects with very long specialized legs, probably adapted for skating on the water surface, similar to extant water skaters. They can reach a size of about 17 centimetres (6.7 in). [10] [11] and even 19 centimetres (7.5 in). [12]
These Polyneoptera of uncertain position have been considered aquatic, living on the water surface, probably predaceous on nektonic small animals. [13] [14]
They lived during the Cretaceous of Brazil, China, Lebanon, Spain, United Kingdom, as well as in the Jurassic of Germany and China, from ~166.0 to 94.3 Ma. [1]