Tainosia
Encyclopedia
Tainosia is an extinct monotypic
genus
of planthopper
in the Nogodinidae subfamily Nogodininae and at present, it contains the single species Tainosia quisqueyae. The genus is solely known from the early Miocene
, Burdigalian
stage, Dominican amber
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
.
and hindwings mostly closed. The amber is currently residing in the Department of Palaeontology paleoentomology
collections of the Natural History Museum
in London
, England
. T. quisqueyae was first studied by Jacek Szwedo and Adam Stroiński, with their 2001 type description being published in the journal Genus. The generic
name "Tainosia" was coined by Jacek Szwedo and Adam Stroiński in reference to the Tainos people
who were native to Hispaniola and other islands of the Greater Antilles
. The specific epithet "quisqueyae" was designated in honor of one of the original names for Hispaniola, "Quisqueya". As with the extinct Tonocatecutlius gibsoni, T. quisqueyae is placed in the Nogodininae tribe Nogodinini. All other extinct members of the family Nogodinidae currently described from the Americas are restricted to the subfamily Nogodininae.
of Tainosia has a costal cell and clavus without transverse veinlets, while Tonocatecutlius has a costal cell and clavus crossed by veinlets. Similar to Tonocatecutlius is the network of veins crossing the upper half of the tegmen. The tegmen is semi-hyaline with faint but distinct color patterning present, the hindwing is hyaline and without any patterning.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
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 planthopper
Planthopper
A planthopper is any insect in the infraorder Fulgoromorpha within the Hemiptera. The name comes from their remarkable resemblance to leaves and other plants of their environment and from the fact that they often "hop" for quick transportation in a similar way to that of grasshoppers. However,...
in the Nogodinidae subfamily Nogodininae and at present, it contains the single species Tainosia quisqueyae. The genus is solely known from the early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
, Burdigalian
Burdigalian
The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma...
stage, Dominican amber
Dominican amber
Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics....
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
.
History and classification
Tainosia quisqueyae is known only from one fossil, the holotype, number "BMNH Pal. PI II 62". It is a single individual of indeterminate sex preserved in a clear orange amber specimen. The specimen is mostly complete, though the right tegmen torn, and the hind legs are partly destroyed. The insect was entombed while in resting posture, with both the hemelytraElytron
An elytron is a modified, hardened forewing of certain insect orders, notably beetles and a few of the true bugs ; in most true bugs, the forewings are instead called hemelytra, as only the basal half is thickened while the apex is membranous...
and hindwings mostly closed. The amber is currently residing in the Department of Palaeontology paleoentomology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
collections of the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. T. quisqueyae was first studied by Jacek Szwedo and Adam Stroiński, with their 2001 type description being published in the journal Genus. The generic
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...
name "Tainosia" was coined by Jacek Szwedo and Adam Stroiński in reference to the Tainos people
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
who were native to Hispaniola and other islands of the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
. The specific epithet "quisqueyae" was designated in honor of one of the original names for Hispaniola, "Quisqueya". As with the extinct Tonocatecutlius gibsoni, T. quisqueyae is placed in the Nogodininae tribe Nogodinini. All other extinct members of the family Nogodinidae currently described from the Americas are restricted to the subfamily Nogodininae.
Description
Tainosia quisqueyae is 14.4 millimetre (0.566929133858268 in) in length and has a wing length of 8.73 millimetre (0.343700787401575 in). Though similar to the related genus Tonocatecutlius known from Mexican amber, there are several notable differences between the genera. Tonocatecutlius has an mesonotum which is smooth and uninterrupted, while Tainosia has a mesonotum that bears anterolateral carinae. The forewingInsect 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...
of Tainosia has a costal cell and clavus without transverse veinlets, while Tonocatecutlius has a costal cell and clavus crossed by veinlets. Similar to Tonocatecutlius is the network of veins crossing the upper half of the tegmen. The tegmen is semi-hyaline with faint but distinct color patterning present, the hindwing is hyaline and without any patterning.