Review of true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera, Heteroptera) from the amber collection of the Museum of the Earth of PAS in Warsaw with some remarks on heteropteran insects from Eocene European amber

Abstract

Review of true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera, Heteroptera) from the amber collection of the Museum of the Earth of PAS in Warsaw with some remarks on heteropteran insects from Eocene European amber

From all the information available on Heteroptera in the Palaeogene (European Eocene) amber found in the amber deposits of the Baltic and the Ukrainian (Rovno amber) regions, Central France (Oise), and also the Leipzig area (Saxonian amber), we can conclude that many representatives of true bugs (mainly Miridae, Microphysidae, Anthocoridae and Aradidae) known to us were associated mainly with coniferous vegetation (Early Tertiary European amber forests) and, consequently, were in constant contact with resin. The main findings regarding the taxonomy, number of species, a brief biology, palaeogeography and palaeontology, as well as a review of current literature sources, are given for every family contained in the amber collection of the Museum of the Earth of PAS in Warsaw. A summary table is also included. So far, over 160 genera and more than 240 species belonging to 41 families from all known ambers have been described. About 160 species and 100 genera from 25 modern heteropteran families, described from succinite - Baltic and Ukrainian (Rovno, Klesov) ambers - belong mostly to Miridae, Anthocoridae, Cimicoidea ([Electrocoris]), Microphysidae, Nabidae, Tingidae and Reduviidae. 12 families (120 inclusions) are represented in the collection of the Museum of the Earth: Saldidae (1), Ceratocombidae (1), Anthocoridae (9), Microphysidae (4), Miridae (73), Reduviidae (2), Nabidae (5), Thaumastocoridae (1), Tingidae (4), Aradidae (2), Piesmatidae (1), Lygaeidae (2), Cimicoidea (7) and Heteroptera incertae sedis (9). About 70% of fossils belong to the plant bugs (Miridae): 26.5% of these are represented by the Isometopinae and 43% by the Cylapinae subfamilies.