The stratigraphical potential of blattodean insects from the late Carboniferous of southern Britain

Abstract

The Blattodea (cockroaches sensu lato or roachoids) from the southern coalfields of the UK are reviewed or examined, especially species occurring in more than one coal basin including Mylacris abrupta (Bolton, 1930) comb. nov., and undescribed material from Writhlington (Somerset). It is proposed that a derived mylacrid Mylacris–Sooblatta assemblage is used to extend the latest Westphalian and earliest Stephanian insect zonation from the continent to southern Britain, thus augmenting the European Pennsylvanian scheme.