Lichnomesopsyche prochorista

Overview

Lichnomesopsyche prochorista is a Jurassic mecopteran insect with a long, tube-like proboscis. Four long, narrow wings and slender legs extend around its body. This unfamiliar mouth structure provides clues for investigating the long relationship between insects and plants.^[1]

Key facts

The species name prochorista combines words meaning “before” and “separated.” It refers to a wing vein branching closer to the body than a neighboring vein. Knowing the name’s meaning makes junctions among fine wing lines a special focus of observation.^[1]

Time and place

The fossil came from near Daohugou village in Ningcheng County, present-day Inner Mongolia, China. The paper described the Jiulongshan Formation as late Callovian, near the end of the Middle Jurassic, approximately 164–165 million years old.^[1]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

The female type specimen’s body length was reported as 22.2 mm, excluding antennae and proboscis. Its forewings are longer than its body. Large eyes and an elongated proboscis stand out, while the antennae are shorter than the proboscis. The abdomen is described as tapering toward the rear and ending in a short pair of appendages.^[1]

Habitat and reproduction

The paper discusses the possibility that ancient insects with similarly long, tubular proboscises fed on fluids from gymnosperm reproductive organs. It also explores their possible involvement in gymnosperm pollination. This interpretation investigates relationships between plants and insects through proboscis form.^[1]

Fossil discovery

A 2016 study described the species, presenting photographs and illustrations of the female type specimen’s body and wings together. Traces of one individual remain on the opposing faces of a split rock. Photographs and interpretive drawings of both faces reveal connected structures.^[1]

References

1. New data from the Middle Jurassic of China shed light on the phylogeny and origin of the proboscis in the Mesopsychidae (Insecta: Mecoptera)
2. Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle — The giant insect Meganeura monyi

Research questions

Researchers compared wing venation and mouth structures across several extinct insects to analyze the evolution of long, tubular proboscises. Their analysis suggested that these arose independently four or five times among early mecopteran groups. Comparing small body structures thus leads to questions about broad evolutionary history.^[1]

Observation

The illustration is a qualitative portrayal based on the articulated body of a single female type specimen and the author’s diagrams. Follow the connections between the four long wings, proboscis, and tapering abdomen. The spread arrangement, some terminal connections, color, and shallow relief are interpretations intended to make the whole form readable.^[1]