Gigatitan
Gigatitan is an extinct genus of titanopteran insect that lived in Kyrgyzstan during the Triassic period. The type species is G. vulgaris, described by Aleksandr Grigorevich Sharov in 1968.[1] Fossils of Gigatitan have been found in the Madygen Formation.[2] In life, Gigatitan was a mantis-like predator with a wingspan of approximately 33 centimetres (13 in). Its forelimbs were similarly enlarged and bore spines for prey capture.[3] The ovipositor of Gigatitan bore sharp cutting ridges. These were likely used to excise holes in plant matter for oviposition, similar to some modern Orthoptera.[4] It is the type genus of the family Gigatitanidae, in which the closely related Nanotitan and Ootitan are also included.[1][5]
Gigatitan | |
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reconstruction of G. vulgaris | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | †Titanoptera |
Clade: | †Gigatitanidae |
Genus: | †Gigatitan Sharov, 1968 |
Type species | |
Gigatitan vulgaris Sharov, 1968 | |
Species | |
| |
Synonyms | |
G. vulgaris
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References
- Béthoux, O. (2007). "Cladotypic Taxonomy Applied: Titanopterans are Orthopterans". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 65 (2): 135–156. ISSN 1863-7221. S2CID 8775265.
- Gigatitan at Fossilworks.org
- Grimaldi, D. (2009). "Fossil Record". In Resh, V.H.; Cardé, R.T. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Insects (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Academic Press. pp. 396–403. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-374144-8.00114-4. ISBN 978-0-12-374144-8.
- Bethoux, O.; Galtier, J.; Nel, A. (2007). "Earliest Evidence of Insect Endophytic Oviposition". PALAIOS. 19 (4): 408–413. doi:10.1669/0883-1351(2004)019<0408:EEOIEO>2.0.CO;2.
- Gorochov, A.V. (2007). "The first representative of the suborder Mesotitanina from the Paleozoic and notes on the system and evolution of the order Titanoptera (Insecta: Polyneoptera)". Paleontological Journal. 41 (6): 621–625. doi:10.1134/S0031030107060056. ISSN 1555-6174.
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