MACNBR   00242
MUSEO ARGENTINO DE CIENCIAS NATURALES "BERNARDINO RIVADAVIA"
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Teisseirei barattinia Roselli 1939: the first sphinx moth trace fossil from palaeosols and its distinct type of wall
Autor/es:
GENISE, J.F., FARINA, J.L., VERDE, M.
Revista:
LETHAIA
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2013 vol. 46 p. 480 - 489
ISSN:
0024-1164
Resumen:
The trace fossil Teisseirei barattinia, found in Cenozoic formations of Uruguay and
Argentina, is an elongated chamber recognizable by its depressed cross-section, antechamber,
and its multi-layered lining with an inner surface texture composed of densely
packed sub-rectangular to sub-triangular pits. Our recent behavioural
observations on larval and pupal stages of Sphingidae (Lepidoptera), particularly on
Manduca rustica, suggest that Teisseirei barattinia is the pupation chamber of a sphinx
moth. Last instar larvae of Manduca rustica, Eumorpha anchemolus and E. labruscae
were placed in terraria to observe their burrowing behaviour and to recover pupation
chambers. Chambers show depressed or plane convex cross-sections as T. barattinia.
The internal surface texture of walls is also similar to that of T. barattinia. The same
pattern could be obtained experimentally by pressing the true legs of Manduca rustica
larva against plasticine. The multi-layered wall structure, shown by T. barattinia, is a
new type of lining for insect trace fossils in palaeosols that result from soil packing
combined with discharges of abundant liquid excretion by soft-bodied larvae, as in the
case of Manduca rustica. T. barattinia is the first trace fossil documented in palaeosols
attributed to sphinx moths and supported by macro and micromorphological comparisons
with extant pupation chambers. The shallow emplacement of moth pupation
chambers in soils suggests that T. barattinia would be a good indicator of palaeosol
upper horizons.