Nobloedischia rasnitsyni Beckemeyer

Beckemeyer, Roy J., 2011, Nobloedischia rasnitsyni, a new genus and species of Oedischiidae (Orthoptera) from the Lower Permian Wellington Formation of Oklahoma, USA, ZooKeys 130, pp. 103-110 : 105

Nobloedischia rasnitsyni Beckemeyer sp. n. Figs 1-3

Type locality.

Noble County, Oklahoma, USA; Wellington Formation, Artinskian, Lower Permian.

Type material.

Holotype: Oklahoma State Museum Fossil Insect Specimen No. 826a, part (Fig. 1) and 826b, counterpart (Fig. 2), comprising the only Orthoptera fossil on slabs densely covered with multiple insect wing fragments of varied orders and with Conchostraca fossils as well. The slab containing 826a is approximately 12 by 21 cm and contains a total of 88 insect specimens (818a through 905a); the second slab (8 by 17 cm) contains 78 insect specimens (818b through 896b).

Etymology.

The specific epithet, rasnitsyni, is an honorific for eminent scientist Dr. Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn in recognition of his long and productive career, and his invaluable and varied contributions to paleoentomology.

Diagnosis.

As for genus.

Description.

Forewing. Preserved length 32 mm, estimated length 39 mm (basal 20%, including precostal area, missing); width 7 mm. ScP terminates at 78% wing length, cross veins simple, moderately spaced, and oriented normal to costal margin and ScP, maximum width of costal field 1.4 mm, maximum width of subcostal field 1.0 mm, ratio width of subcostal to width of costal field 1.4:1. RA sigmoidal in form, bending anteriorly at level of separation of Cu and M (35% of wing length), bending posteriorly at level of fusion of MA and RP, where RA branches; RA branching anteriorly pectinate, six branches reaching wing margin, basal branches intersecting margin obliquely, distal branches nearly longitudinal in orientation; posterior–most branch of RA terminating at 95% wing length; cross veins between ScP and RA similar in form and spacing to those between ScP and costal margin. RP origin at 51% wing length; RP fusion with MA1 at 62% of wing length, length of fusion 0.9 mm; RP with four posteriorly pectinate branches, simple or distally twigged, first branch at 72% wing length, anterior–most branch straight and terminating near apex of wing at 98% wing length; cross veins between RA and RP with veins simple, some bowed with center of curvature basal. M+CuA branches at 35%, M branches at 37%, length of M from separation from M+CuA to branch 0.9 mm, MA branches at 59%, MA2 branches at 69% of wing length each branch with terminal twig, MA1 apparently simple, te rminating at 89%, free length of MA1 before fusion with RP 1.0 mm. MP distally twigged, terminating on posterior margin at 74% and 77% wing length. CuA+CuPaα with four branches; the basal branches of CuA+CuPaα intersect the posterior margin obliquely, with the angle between the branches and the wing margin increasing distally (angles of intersection are 12°, 13°, 23°, and 32°, for the successive branches); CuPa branches at 34% of the wing length, free length of CuPaα before fusion with CuA 1.1 mm, length of CuA from separation from M+CuA to fusion with CuPaα 0.9 mm, CuPaβ straight as preserved, cross veins between CuPaβ and CuA+CuPaα normal to the longitudinal veins, becoming oblique and oriented longitudinally after the first branching of CuA+CuPaα; short segment of CuPb that is preserved (extending from 20% to 35% of wing length) is straight; anal veins not preserved.