First fossil cicada discovered in the Messel pit

For the first time, a real fossilized cicada was described from Messel Pit deposits. EopLatypleura Messelensis is one of the oldest known representatives of the real modern cicadas in Eurasia, and it is the first recording of the cicadinae subfamily in the world.

The discovery of the UNESCO World Heritage Site near Darmstadt widens our understanding of the fauna of this time, fills an important gap in the fossil file and provides new information on the development and expansion of this group of insects in Europe during the Cenozoic. The new discovery is published in the review Scientific relationships.

With a body length of approximately 26.5 millimeters and a wingspan of 68.2 millimeters, the adult cicada of the adult cicada of the 47 million years of the Messel pit was almost entirely preserved.

“The family of real crime (Cicadidae) is one of the groups of insects richest in cash today. Nevertheless, there are very few fossil discoveries compared to the large number of modern species,” explains Dr. Sonja Wedmann of the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt.

“Within this family, the Platypluurini group is particularly striking – it has a wide distribution and contains many different species with special characteristics. For the first time, we have now described a fossil of this group of cicadas.”

The new species of Cigada Eoplatypleura Messelensis is notable not only for its size but also for its extensive and surprisingly patterned wings.

“These models are similar to those of modern cicadas species in the Platpluurini group, which live in wood and scrub gand. Given the subtropical vegetation in the Messhel zone about 47 million years ago, the coloring could have fulfilled a similar ecological function – for example as camouflage,” said the first author, Dr. Jiang.

The paleontologist conducted the study during his research stay at the Senckenberg “Messel Pit” research station. The new Messel fossil is characterized by a compact head with discreet compound eyes and large anovisions with a significantly curved tip edge.

“Although the fossil is a woman, his classification suggests that the men of this group were able to produce noisy mating calls,” adds Jiang.

To date, at least 44 fossil discoveries of cicadas have been documented from the Cenozoic era, the period starting around 66 million years ago.

“The cicada that we have described as a new genre and species is one of the oldest known representatives of the real cicades of today in Eurasia and represents the first recording of the cicadinae subfamily worldwide. It is also the first curvy cicada described from the Messel pit,” adds Senckenberg Excavation Supervisor Wedmann.

According to the study, the discovery widens not only our knowledge of the fauna of the Messel pit, but also fills an important gap in the history of cicadas in the Eocene. In the future, Eoplatypleura Messensis could serve as an important chronological reference for genetic studies on the evolutionary history of these animals and provide new information on the origin and propagation of platypleurini.

Wedmann sums up: “Each new fossil discovery of the UNESCO Massel Pit World Heritage Site is of great scientific importance. Insects represent a large part of biodiversity. Their fossil file helps us to better understand the development of complex ecosystems and ecological interactions.

“Fossils such as our real cicada provide fascinating information about life about 47 million years ago and provide valuable information on the origins of today’s diversity.”