Omalonomus
Campbell & Peck, 1990
Omalonomus is a of blind, wingless, lightly pigmented subterranean in the . The Omalonomus relictus was described in 1990 from the Cypress Hills of Alberta-Saskatchewan, Canada. Its highly modified reflects to a hypogeous lifestyle. The genus is considered a preglacial relict, supporting evidence for ice-free refugia in the Cypress Hills during Pleistocene glaciation.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Omalonomus: /ˌoʊməˈlɒnəməs/
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Habitat
Subterranean soil environments. The was collected from soil in the Cypress Hills.
Distribution
Cypress Hills, Alberta-Saskatchewan, Canada. The is known only from this region.
Behavior
Subterranean. are blind, wingless, and lightly pigmented—traits associated with permanent soil-dwelling existence.
Human Relevance
Its discovery provided biogeographic evidence supporting the hypothesis that portions of the Cypress Hills remained unglaciated during late Pleistocene glacial advances, serving as a refugium for relict .
More Details
Taxonomic status
Omalonomus was established as a new by Campbell & Peck in 1990 to accommodate Omalonomus relictus, which could not be placed in existing genera of Omaliinae.
Evolutionary significance
The is considered a preglacial (?) relict. Its presence in the Cypress Hills contributes to evidence that this region served as a biological refugium during Pleistocene glaciation.