Cuniculoblatta brevialata gen. et sp. n., the second case of brachyptery from Cretaceous North Myanmar amber

Abstract

Brachypterous cockroaches, although common in most living ecosystems, are scarce in the fossil record. Here, I report Cuniculoblatta brevialata gen. et sp. n., an adult brachypterous cockroach from Myanmar amber. The specimen shows reduced but flexible tegmina and hindwings, suggesting true brachyptery. Robust legs indicate a burrowing lifestyle, a trait often times present among brachypterous and apterous cockroaches. Absence of ocelli is an uncommon character among Mesozoic cockroaches. This new species is, together with Cercoula brachyptera LI & HUANG, 2021, the second case of brachyptery among Myanmar amber cockroaches. Both Cuniculoblatta brevialata and Cercoula brachyptera confirm rare presence of brachyptery among Mesozoic cockroaches.