Recently, researchers from the Guangdong Academy of Sciences, led by Dr. Wang Yongjie, in collaboration with Professor Ren Dong from the College of Life Sciences at Capital Normal University, have discovered the largest neuropteran larva to date - Megaloptera. They have unveiled the unique aquatic habits and significant paleoecological implications of a new species of giant Jurassic neuropteran larval fossils. The findings have been published online in the "Journal of Systematics and Evolution."
Neuroptera is an ancient order of holometabolous insects, with larvae exhibiting a high degree of morphological diversity and unique ecological adaptability. The Mesozoic era was a "golden age" of radiation and evolution for neuropteran insects. However, our current understanding of Mesozoic insect species diversity mainly stems from adult specimens, with relatively limited research on their larvae, especially neuropteran larvae from the Jurassic period.
In recent years, a significant number of neuropteran larvae have been reported in Cretaceous ambers, providing crucial evidence for understanding the early evolution of neuropteran larvae. Nevertheless, neuropteran larvae from earlier periods remain largely unexplored. With the support of projects such as the National Natural Science Foundation, this study describes a new genus and species of fossil neuropteran larva - Megaloptera, from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China.
The research reveals that the Megaloptera larva is the largest neuropteran larva discovered to date, measuring up to 57mm in length. It features a hardened and notably elongated neck, along with slender and soft swimming hairs along the sides of its legs, providing direct evidence for exploring the aquatic habits and paleoecological significance of Megaloptera.
Based on morphological analysis, researchers speculate that Megaloptera likely inhabited the bottom environments of mountainous rivers and streams during the Jurassic period. Its flat, broad segments and leg joints, coupled with swimming hairs along the edges, suggest adaptations for movement in water. Given its size and neck characteristics, Megaloptera may have employed an ambush predation strategy.
This discovery enhances our understanding of the morphological diversity, behavior, and aquatic habits of Jurassic neuropteran larvae, revealing structural and ecological convergences in aquatic neuropteran insects during the course of evolution.
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The holotype specimen of Anomalocaris and a paleoecological reconstruction. Image provided by the research team.
