Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4747151 Cretaceous Research 2015 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

Tarwinia australis, from the Lower Cretaceous Koonwarra fossil bed, Victoria, South Australia, is the first described Mesozoic flea. It was suggested to have a unique morphology that differs from all other known Mesozoic giant fleas by having a laterally-flattened body and peculiar tibial ctenidia. It represents an extinct family, Tarwiniidae, among the three major Mesozoic monster flea groups. Re-examination of the holotype reveals that this Southern Hemisphere ferocious bloodsucker bears different morphological details from those described previously. Tarwinia australis definitely bears elongate siphonate mouthparts and a relatively compact antenna with 15 flagellomeres. Its legs are slender, elongate, and armed with pseudocombs-like ctenidia on all tibiae. The abdomen is covered with posteriorly-directed setal rows, and with a posteriorly-located pygidium and exposed male genitalia. It differs from pseudopulicids mainly on the basis of characters of tibial ctenidia that probably indicate a very different host association.

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Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Palaeontology
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