The triassic insect fauna from Argentina: Blattoptera and Coleoptera from the Potrerillos Formation, South of Cerro Cacheuta, Cuyana Basin, Argentina

MARTINS-NETO, R.G.; GALLEGO, O.F.; ZAVATTIERI, A.M.

Victoria-Gasteiz

Congreso; IV International Congress of Paleoentomology; 2007

Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Alava

This contribution describes new fossil insect taxa from the upper section of the Potrerillos Formation (late Middle Triassic to early Late Triassic) at “Quebrada del Durazno” (south of cerro Cacheuta), Mendoza Province, Argentina. The age of the insect assemblage corresponds to the early Late Triassic. A new genus and two new species are proposed, representing a Coleoptera (Permosynidae) and a Hemiptera (Scytinopteromorpha). Also, Notopamphagopsis sp. 1, previously described from the Los Rastros Formation (Bermejo Basin, La Rioja, Argentina) is reported and a presence of ?cockroach remain is mentioned. These insect records increase the knowledge of the Triassic diversity and the relationships with other Gondwanean faunas (i.e Molteno and Ipswich). Also, brings new evidence on the insect recovery after the end-Permian extinction, its high endemism and their evolution in the west Gondwana. The Potrerillos formation especially exhibits a very diverse Fulgoromorpha assemblage with at least three distinct genera: Argentinocicada Martins-Neto & Gallego (with two species), Tipuloidea Wieland (monotypic) and a new one, described here. These Cicadomorpha are the greater insect known for the Triassic times, with specimens reaching more than 60 mm of wing spam.