Oligocene pseudophyllodromiin cockroach from the Enspel Fossillagerstätte in Germany

Abstract

Currently, there are only four formally described species of cockroaches from the Oligocene. Here, we describe a new member of this cohort, Latiblattella basaltica sp. n. from the late Oligocene Enspel Fossillagerstatte. This colored cockroach is a member of the extant Ectobiidae (Pseudophyllodromiinae) and lacks any observable plesiomorphies with members of this family. Neotropical species of the genus Latiblattella HEBARD, 1917share characters with species within the genera Neoblattella SHELFORD, 1911 and Macrophyllodromia Saussure et ZEHNTNER, 1893 with a contemporary Nearctic/Neotropical distribution (which is similar to Nyctibora BURMEISTER, 1838 known from the spatiotemporaly related locality of Rott in Germany). Two partly articulated specimens, in addition to two isolated forewings, indicate only short or no pre-depositional transport. The dominance of the species in the Enspel assemblage (n = 4/4, active fully winged males) indicates a low cockroach diversity within the crater lake basin or specific taphonomic conditions unfavorable for the preservation of cockroaches. The latter is indicated by the contrasting extraordinary abundance of bibionids, winged sexuals of ants, and curculionid beetles within the association.