Dinokanaga
Encyclopedia
Dinokanaga is a small
genus
of scorpionfly belonging to the extinct family Dinopanorpidae
. The six species D. andersoni, D. dowsonae, D. hillsi, D. sternbergi, D. webbi, and D. wilsoni have all been recovered from Eocene fossil sites in British Columbia
, Canada and Washington state, USA.
Dinokanaga is a combination of the Greek
word deino meaning "terrible" or "monstrous" and okanaga in reference to the Okanagan highlands fossil sites where the specimens have been recovered. The type description of the genus was first published in 2005 by Dr. Bruce Archibald in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. Description of the new genus was based on the study of over 20 compression fossil
specimens from five fossil producing locations in the highlands. Dinokanaga and Dinopanorpa
, currently the only known genera in the family Dinopanorpidae, are distinguished by a number of wing vein characters including lack of fine reticulated crossveins in Dinopanorpa, and the "Rs" vein branched 3-5 times in Dinokanaga. The fossil specimens of high preservation quality sometimes show the original color patterning, being mostly dark with light to clear areas. Within the genus wing characters are key to separating the species.
Dinokanaga hillsi, the type species, is identified by its subtriangular shaped wing which is widest at the middle, color pattern of three distinct dots, and an apical wing margin which is smoothly curved. D. hillsi along with D. dowsonae are the only two species in which part of the insects body is known, rather than just isolated wings. Though known from a number of specimens D. hillsi has only been found at the McAbee site near Cache Creek, British Columbia
and is named for Dr. Len Hills.
D. dowsonae is identified by the penniform shape of the wings, and by the size which is larger than similar shaped wings in the other species. D. dowsonae is he most wide spread of the species, occurring at three different fossil sites in the Okanagan Highlands while the five other species are restricted to a single site each. This species is named in honor of Shelley Dowson, collector of one of the specimen paratype
s.
D. andersoni is known from only the holotype specimen, collected and housed at the Stonerose Interpretive Center in Republic, Washington
. The species is notably narrower in the preserved areas of the holotype wing then other species. The species was named in honor of Eric Anderson who first collected the type specimen in 2001.
The third species found in Republic is D. sternbergi, known from a 28 millimetres (1.1 in) long wing collected by Michael Sternberg in 1995, and for whom the species is named. The species is distinguished by the short length of the "Sc" vein and small size, D. webbi being the only species smaller in wing size.
Only a single poorly preserved D. wilsoni hindwing has been found, but the shape is distinct enough to separate it from the other Dinokanaga species, being broadly a rounded oval. The sole specimen was found the Whipsaw Creek locality of the Allenby Formation near Princeton, British Columbia
and named for Dr. Mark Wilson of the University of Alberta
.
Easily distinguished from the other species, D. webbi is the smallest species of Dinokanaga with a hindwing
only 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) long and having numerous simple crossveins with only patches developing into a reticulated patterning. The type specimen was found in shale outcrops along the Horsefly River
near Horsefly, British Columbia
and the species named in honor of Robin Webb of British Columbia.
Small
Small may refer to:People:* Albion Woodbury Small , founded the first Department of Sociology in the United States at the University of Chicago* Ambrose Small , Canadian theatre magnate...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of scorpionfly belonging to the extinct family Dinopanorpidae
Dinopanorpidae
Dinopanorpidae is a small family of extinct insects in the order Mecoptera that contains two genera and seven species.The name is a combination of the Greek deino meaning "terrible" or "monstrous" and "Panorpidae", the family to which Dinopanorpa was first assigned. The family was first...
. The six species D. andersoni, D. dowsonae, D. hillsi, D. sternbergi, D. webbi, and D. wilsoni have all been recovered from Eocene fossil sites in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada and Washington state, USA.
Dinokanaga is a combination of the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word deino meaning "terrible" or "monstrous" and okanaga in reference to the Okanagan highlands fossil sites where the specimens have been recovered. The type description of the genus was first published in 2005 by Dr. Bruce Archibald in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. Description of the new genus was based on the study of over 20 compression fossil
Compression fossil
A compression fossil is a fossil preserved in sedimentary rock that has undergone physical compression. While it is uncommon to find animals preserved as good compression fossils, it is very common to find plants preserved this way...
specimens from five fossil producing locations in the highlands. Dinokanaga and Dinopanorpa
Dinopanorpa
Dinopanorpa is an extinct monotypic genus of scorpionfly that contains the single species Dinopanorpa megarche and is the type genus of the extinct family Dinopanorpidae...
, currently the only known genera in the family Dinopanorpidae, are distinguished by a number of wing vein characters including lack of fine reticulated crossveins in Dinopanorpa, and the "Rs" vein branched 3-5 times in Dinokanaga. The fossil specimens of high preservation quality sometimes show the original color patterning, being mostly dark with light to clear areas. Within the genus wing characters are key to separating the species.
Dinokanaga hillsi, the type species, is identified by its subtriangular shaped wing which is widest at the middle, color pattern of three distinct dots, and an apical wing margin which is smoothly curved. D. hillsi along with D. dowsonae are the only two species in which part of the insects body is known, rather than just isolated wings. Though known from a number of specimens D. hillsi has only been found at the McAbee site near Cache Creek, British Columbia
Cache Creek, British Columbia
Cache Creek is a junction community northeast of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is on the Trans-Canada Highway in the province of British Columbia at its junction with northbound Highway 97...
and is named for Dr. Len Hills.
D. dowsonae is identified by the penniform shape of the wings, and by the size which is larger than similar shaped wings in the other species. D. dowsonae is he most wide spread of the species, occurring at three different fossil sites in the Okanagan Highlands while the five other species are restricted to a single site each. This species is named in honor of Shelley Dowson, collector of one of the specimen paratype
Paratype
Paratype is a technical term used in the scientific naming of species and other taxa of organisms. The exact meaning of the term paratype when it is used in zoology is not the same as the meaning when it is used in botany...
s.
D. andersoni is known from only the holotype specimen, collected and housed at the Stonerose Interpretive Center in Republic, Washington
Republic, Washington
Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase over the 2000 Census. It is the county seat of Ferry County.-History:...
. The species is notably narrower in the preserved areas of the holotype wing then other species. The species was named in honor of Eric Anderson who first collected the type specimen in 2001.
The third species found in Republic is D. sternbergi, known from a 28 millimetres (1.1 in) long wing collected by Michael Sternberg in 1995, and for whom the species is named. The species is distinguished by the short length of the "Sc" vein and small size, D. webbi being the only species smaller in wing size.
Only a single poorly preserved D. wilsoni hindwing has been found, but the shape is distinct enough to separate it from the other Dinokanaga species, being broadly a rounded oval. The sole specimen was found the Whipsaw Creek locality of the Allenby Formation near Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton is a small town in the Similkameen region of southern British Columbia, Canada. It lies just east of the Cascade Mountains, which continue south into Washington, Oregon and California. The Tulameen and Similkameen Rivers converge here...
and named for Dr. Mark Wilson of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
.
Easily distinguished from the other species, D. webbi is the smallest species of Dinokanaga with a hindwing
Insect wing
Insects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities. Even our understanding of the aerodynamics of flexible, flapping wings and how...
only 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) long and having numerous simple crossveins with only patches developing into a reticulated patterning. The type specimen was found in shale outcrops along the Horsefly River
Horsefly River
The Horsefly River is a river in the Cariboo district of British Columbia, Canada. Originating near the Wells Gray Provincial Park, it is a tributary to the Quesnel River, which in turn is a major tributary of the Fraser River. The Horsefly River is a spawning ground for sockeye, chinook and coho...
near Horsefly, British Columbia
Horsefly, British Columbia
Horsefly, formerly known as Harper's Camp, is an unincorporated community in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located between the Cariboo Mountains and Quesnel Lake and borders Wells Gray Provincial Park....
and the species named in honor of Robin Webb of British Columbia.