Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the middle Eocene Anglesea amber (Australia) originated in a subpolar greenhouse earth

Australian Anglesea amber, late middle Eocene in age, has been recently reported. It occurs in coal deposits formed in a meandering river system on an Austral subpolar coastal plain during a late Greenhouse Earth event, and contains well-preserved bioinclusions of plants, arthropods and microorganisms. Six specimens of biting midges have been recovered and two species are herein described: Meunierohelea anglesensis sp. nov. and Culicoides paleopestis sp. nov. These represent the second and third arthropod species described in Australian amber. The discovery of a new fossil species of the genus Meunierohelea is especially significant, since the only extant species is known from northern Australian tropical rainforests. Additionally, a partial specimen belongs to the Monohelea complex. Interestingly, a male and a female of C. paleopestis sp. nov. occur very close to each other, most likely trapped by the resin during mating, allowing the description of the sexual dimorphism of this species. The species of the genus Culicoides much have fed on the blood of Australian vertebrates during the Eocene, possibly transmitting diseases. These new data extend the knowledge about biting midges during the Eocene, a key time for understanding the global expansion of the Ceratopogonidae into subpolar latitudes.

Automated summary

The article discusses the recent discovery of Australian Anglesea amber, which contains well-preserved bioinclusions of various organisms. Two new species of biting midges were found, with one species showing connections to modern species, providing substantial data for understanding disease transmission worldwide.