The first mayfly (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) from Late Cretaceous amber of North Carolina, USA

Abstract

Nowadays, Baetidae are among the most diverse and widespread mayfly families worldwide. However, fossil records of this family are very scarce, and each newly discovered specimen is of great importance for assessing the evolutionary history of this group. We report a newly discovered Baetidae fossil from the Cretaceous amber of North Carolina (USA), described herein as Petracloeon carolinensis gen. et sp. nov. The analysis of its morphology and a discussion of its possible affinities with already described Baetidae taxa (both fossil and extant) are provided. This represents the first mayfly from the North Carolina amber and the oldest Baetidae from the Americas. This finding also significantly expands the distribution range of Baetidae in the Cretaceous and supports the origin of the family prior to the main continental breakup beginning in the Jurassic.