A fossil head of an enicocephalomorphan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from England revisited: Identity of the first fossil species of Enicocephalidae from Europe

Abstract

† Pyrenicocephalus jarzembowskii, gen. et sp. n. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Enicocephalomorpha: Enicocephalidae: Enicocephalinae) from Early Eocene, London Clay, England, Isle of Sheppey, is described and illustrated according to the unique pyritized adult head reported as a larval enicocephalid head by Jarzembowski (1986). The head anatomy of similar and related genera of Enicocephalinae is compared and the close relationship of the new genus to a clade including the extant genera Oncylocotis, Embolorrhinus and Hoplitocoris is suggested, most probably as the sister genus to Hoplitocoris (presently with Afrotropical, East Palaearctic and Oriental range).

Keywords

• insecta
• hemiptera
• heteroptera
• fossil enicocephalidae
• † pyrenicocephalus jarzembowskii
• new genus
• new species
• early eocene
• london clay
• england
• palaeoentomology
• taxonomy
• morphology