Dinopanorpidae
Carpenter, 1972
Dinopanorpidae is an extinct of ( ) comprising two and seven described . The family was established in 1972 by paleoentomologist Frank Carpenter to accommodate the genus Dinopanorpa, originally described in 1924. These are distinguished by a uniquely elongated R1 that nearly reaches the wing —a feature unknown in any other mecopteran lineage. Fossil evidence indicates a restricted temporal and geographic distribution spanning the Paleocene to Eocene in Russia and western North America.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Dinopanorpidae: //ˌdaɪnoʊˈpænɔrˌpaɪdiː//
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Identification
Distinguished from all other by the elongated R1 that extends nearly to the . Wings are long with numerous reticulated crossveins and, when coloration is preserved, show dark bases with light to clear patterning. lengths range from 28 to 43 mm. As with all Mecoptera, members possess an elongated and four wings of nearly equal size.
Images
Distribution
Restricted to Paleocene-Eocene in Russia and western North America. Dinopanorpa megarche is known from the Khutsin Formation of Primorsky Krai, Russia (early Eocene to late Eocene/early Oligocene boundary). An undescribed Dinopanorpa occurs in the Paleocene Tadushi Formation, also in Russia. The Dinokanaga is exclusive to Ypresian fossil sites in western North America, specifically the Okanagan Highlands paleobiotic .
Similar Taxa
- PanorpidaeDinopanorpa was originally assigned to this due to general morphological resemblance, but differs in the diagnostic elongated R1 and was subsequently separated into its own family.
- Other Mecoptera familiesAll other extant and extinct lack the uniquely elongated R1 that nearly reaches the , which is the primary diagnostic character for Dinopanorpidae.
More Details
Etymology
The name combines Greek deino ('terrible' or 'monstrous') with '', reflecting the initial taxonomic placement and the impressive size of these .
Taxonomic composition
The contains seven described : six in Dinokanaga (western North America) and one in Dinopanorpa (Russia). Dinopanorpa is , represented solely by D. megarche.
Preservation limitations
Most are known only from compression fossils, limiting knowledge of general body and non-wing characters.