1. Introduction
For the past 20 years the Natural History Museum in London (NHM) and National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh (NMS) have been acquiring specimens of Mexican amber with inclusions by purchase or donation. This paper comprises a list of the specimens to make the wider scientific community aware of this material and to hopefully generate research on the specimens.
There are currently 32 pieces of Mexican amber with inclusions in the collection of the NHM and 101 pieces in NMS. Many of these pieces contain several inclusions and contain a combined total of 557 arthropods and 13 plant remains (although one may be fungal).
Most of the specimens have not been studied in detail so the identifications were predominantly undertaken by AJR. Over the years various visiting scientists have improved some of the IDs and a few new taxa have been described.
2. Catalogue
The catalogue below is organised by major taxonomic group (in capitals), then by order and family where possible. Order and family names of arthropods given in bold were not included in Solórzano Kraemer (2010), of which there are four additional orders and eleven additional families listed here. For those where a family ID has not yet been provided then 'Undetermined' is used though some of these specimens may be fragmentary or poorly preserved and so are indeterminate. Specimen numbers pre-fixed by a question mark show that the identification is tentative. The total number of inclusions is given in brackets after the taxonomic name, excluding trace fossils. Further identifications and type details are also provided.
Twenty four specimens are figured here, including previously described holotypes. Fourteen of these specimens have not been previously figured. The corresponding figure number is given in brackets, in bold, after the specimen number. All scale bars represent 1 mm.
The specimens at the NHM are pre-fixed by II (for insects), IA (for arachnids) or V (for plants). The main three or four-digit number is the number of the piece of amber; the number in brackets denotes the number for the taxon where more than one taxon occur in the one piece; if there is more than one specimen of that taxon in the amber then the quantity is given in brackets, e.g . II.2132(2) (x2) denotes amber piece with insects no. 2132, taxon no. 2 and x2 specimens of that taxon.
The specimens at the NMS are prefixed with G followed by the year of acquisition, the batch number, the number of the amber piece, the number of the taxon if there is more than one, and the quantity of that taxon is given in brackets if more than one specimen exists, e.g . G.2004.6.10.1 (x3) denotes year of acquisition 2004, batch no. 6, amber piece no. 10, taxon no. 1 and x3 specimens of that taxon. The specimens are kept at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh, which is part of National Museums Scotland.
The catalogue was compiled by AJR and CJTM, with photographs of NMS specimens by BC (Copyright NMS) and NHM specimens by PVY (Copyright NHM), unless otherwise stated in the figure caption.
ARACHNIDA (52)
Acari (3):
Araneae (47):
Linyphiidae (1):
• G.2004.50.13
Mimetidae (1):
• G.2004.50.11
Miturgidae (2):
• G.2004.6.2.1, G.2004.50.8.1
Mygalomorpha undetermined (1):
• G.2004.50.9.1
Pholcidae(1):
• Modisimus sp. G.2004.6.4.1 (Figure 1)
Salticidae (5):
• G.2004.50.3.1, G.2004.50.4.1, G.2004.50.5.1, G.2004.50.12.1, G.2005.147.9
Theraphosidae (1):
• Figured Dunlop et al. (2008, pp. 13-14, Figs 2-9) G.2004.6.1.1
Trochanteriidae (4?):
• Veteratorsp. G.2004.50.1.1, ?G.2004.50.2.1, ?G.2004.50.10.1 (x2)
Undetermined (31):
• IA.61 (with II.2159 and V.68584), IA.62 (with II.2163 and V.68586), G.1998.54.3.1, G.2004.6.3.1 (x2), G.2004.6.10.1 (x3), G.2004.7.1.1, G.2004.50.3.2, G.2004.50.6, G.2004.50.7.1, G.2005.147.6.1, G.2005.147.7.1, G.2005.147.8, G.2005.147.10, G.2005.147.11.1, G.2006.42.4, G.2006.42.5.1, G.2006.42.7.5, G.2007.67.1.1, G.2007.67.2, G.2007.67.3, G.2007.67.4, G.2007.67.5.4, G.2007.67.14.6, G.2008.34.3.4, G.2008.34.9.3, G.2008.34.13, G.2008.34.14.2, G.2014.50.6.2
Pseudoscorpiones (2):
Atemnidae(1):
• G.2004.6.5.1
Chernetidae (1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 54, Figure 2) G.2011.31.2.1
MYRIAPODA (5):
Chilopoda (3):
Geophilomorpha(2):
• G.2007.67.10.1, Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 9) G.2005.147.1.1 (Figure 2)
Scutigeromorpha(1):
• G.2014.50.2 (Figure 3)
Diplopoda (2):
CRUSTACEA (1):
Isopoda (1):
HEXAPODA (496):
Collembola (11):
Undetermined (11):
• II.1863(4), II.2164(2), II.3084(7), G.2004.6.10.3, G.2006.42.3.2, G.2006.42.5.2, G.2008.34.11.5 (x2), G.2014.50.6.3 (x2), G.2014.50.7.3
Archaeognatha (2):
Ephemeroptera (3):
Baetidae (1):
• II.2159(1) (Figure 4)
Heptageniidae(2):
• Maccaffertium annae Macadam and Ross, 2016, Holotype G.2008.34.3.1, Paratype G.2008.34.3.2
Odonata(1):
Coenagrionidae(1):
• Neoerythrommasp. Figured Ross, Coutiño José and Nel, 2016 G.2008.34.1.1
Blattodea (13):
Ectobiidae (=Blattellidae) (8):
• II.1863(1), II.2165, II.2167(1), G.2014.50.7.1, G.2014.50.8.1• Anaplecta sp. II.2168(1), G.2011.31.10, Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 8) G.2006.42.1 (Figure 5)
Dermaptera(1):
Diplatyidae(1):
• Haplodiplatys crightoniRoss and Engel, 2013, Holotype G.2011.31.1.1 (Figure 6)
Isoptera (29):
Mastotermitidae (6):
• Mastotermessp. II.2159(3), G.2005.147.7.2, G.2008.34.6 (x2), G.2014.50.3.1, Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 54, Fig. 3) G.2005.147.4.1
Undetermined (23):
• II.2132(2) (x2), II.2133(1), II.2158(2), II.2160(1), II.2166(2) (x7), G.1998.38.6.1 (x4), G.2000.63.3, G.2005.147.4.2, G.2005.147.5, G.2006.42.6, G.2007.67.11.3, G.2007.67.14.1, G.2008.34.14.3
Orthoptera (2):
Hemiptera (49):
Aetalionidae(1):
• II.2127(1)
Aleyrodidae (2):
• G.2004.6.10.5, G.2007.67.13.3
Cicadellidae (4):
• G.2004.50.3.5, G.2006.42.7.9, G.2007.67.11.2, Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 13) G.2008.34.5.1
Cixiidae (6):
• II.2132(1), G.2000.63.1, G.2006.42.7.3, G.2011.31.1.5, G.2011.31.5 (Figure 9), G.2014.50.5.1
Coccoidea undetermined (3?):
• G.2004.50.3.6, G.2008.34.3.8, ?G.2008.34.10.3
Derbidae (1):
• Cedusa baylissaeSzwedo and Ross, 2003, Holotype II.2154 (Figure 10)
Fulgoroidea undetermined (14):
• II.2127(2), II.3084(5), G.2004.6.1.2 (x3), G.2004.50.9.3, G.2005.147.6.2, G.2006.42.7.2, G.2008.34.3.3, G.2008.34.10.1, G.2011.31.4.2 (x2), G.2014.50.5.2, Figured Ross (1998, Fig. 70; 2010, Fig. 80) II.1869
Heteroptera undetermined (2):
• II.2133(10), G.2007.67.11.1
Homoptera undetermined (10?):
• II.2168(6), G.2004.6.1.3 (x4), G.2004.6.4.2, G.2004.50.2.2, ?G.2006.42.5.5, G.2008.34.14.6, G.2014.50.5.7
Kinnaridae(1):
• G.2014.50.6.1 (Figure 11)
Nogodinidae (1):
• Tonacatecutlius gibsoniStroiński and Szwedo, 2008, Holotype II.2131(1) (Figure 12)
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 14) G.2008.34.7 (Figure 13)
Tropiduchidae(1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 16) G.2011.31.4.1
Undetermined (2):
• G.2011.31.2.4 (x2)
Psocoptera (13):
Undetermined (13):
• II.1863(3), II.1865(1), II.2132(3), II.3084(6), G.1998.38.6.2, G.2004.6.10.4, G.2004.7.1.2, G.2004.50.3.7 (x2), G.2004.50.7.2, G.2007.67.14.5, G.2014.50.4.2, G.2014.50.5.5
Thysanoptera (5):
Coleoptera (44):
Anthribidae (1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 6) G.2004.6.8.1 (Figure 14)
Cerambycidae (2):
• G.2007.67.12.1, Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 17) G.2008.34.2 (Figure 15)
Curculionidae (2):
• Platypodinae G.2007.67.12.2 (x2)
Curculionoidea undetermined (1):
• II.1863(2)
Dytiscidae (9?):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 54, Fig. 1) ?G.2006.42.3.1 (x9)
Elateroidea undetermined (3):
• II.2164(1), II.3083(1) (Figure 16), G.2008.34.9.1
Staphylinidae (4):
• G.1998.38.6.3, G.2004.50.7.3, G.2007.67.12.3, G.2014.50.9.2
Undetermined (22):
• II.2133(3) (x2), G.1998.38.3.2, G.2004.6.1.4, G.2004.6.9, G.2004.6.10.7 (x6), G.2004.50.3.9, G.2004.50.4.2, G.2004.50.10.2, G.2005.147.9.3, G.2006.42.7.8, G.2007.67.7.1, G.2007.67.12.4 (x2), G.2011.31.2.3, G.2014.50.6.4, G.2014.50.8.3
Diptera (193):
Cecidomyiidae (63):
• II.1864(2) (x2), II.1865(4), II.2132(5), II.2133(8) (x4), II.2160(2) (x2), II.2168(3) (x4), II.3083(4) (x2), II.3084(3), G.2004.6.1.7, G.2004.6.2.2, G.2004.6.3.3, G.2004.6.10.9 (x4), G.2004.50.3.11 (x6), G.2005.147.9.2, G.2006.42.7.7 (x5), G.2007.67.10.2, G.2007.67.12.6, G.2007.67.14.3, G.2008.34.1.2, G.2008.34.11.3, G.2008.34.14.5, G.2014.50.5.6 (x2), G.2014.50.7.4, G.2014.50.8.5• Lestremia sp. G.2004.50.1.2 (x6), G.2005.147.6.3, G.2006.42.5.4, G.2007.67.5.3 (x8), G.2011.31.7.2
Ceratopogonidae (5):
• II.1864(3), II.2159(5), II.2168(5). G.2004.6.1.6, G.2014.50.4.6
Chironomidae (25):
• II.1863(6), II.1864(3), II.1865(3), II.1866(2), II.2133(7), II.2166(4), II.2167(3) (x2), II.2168(2) (x4), II.3083(2) (x2), G.2006.42.7.6, G.2007.67.6.3, G.2008.34.3.7 (x2), G.2008.34.11.4, G.2014.50.4.4 (x3), G.2014.50.8.4, G.2014.50.9.3 (x2)
Culicidae (2):
• G.2004.6.1.5 (x2)
Cyclorrapha undetermined (2):
• II.2166(5), G.2007.67.10.3
Dolichopodidae (9):
• II.1871, II.2168(9), G.1998.38.6.5, G.2004.6.3.2, G.2004.6.10.10, G.2007.67.14.8, G.2011.31.9.1 (x3)
Drosophilidae (1):
• II.1864(5)
Keroplatidae (2):
• G.2004.50.3.10, G.2007.67.14.2
Limoniidae (2):
• G.2000.63.2• Toxorhina sp. II.1870
Mycetophilidae (2):
• II.1866(1) (Figure 17), G.2004.7.1.3
Nematocera undetermined (7):
• G.2004.7.1.4 (x2), G.2007.67.12.5, G.2007.67.14.9 (x2), G.2014.50.9.4 (x2)
Phoridae (22):
• II.894(1), II.895(1), II.2133(9), II. 2159(2), II.2163 (x11), II.3084(4), G.2004.50.3.12 (x2), G.2004.50.5.2 G.2008.34.5.2 (x3)
Psychodidae (25):
• II.894(2), II.1865(2), II.2133(12), II.2160(3), II.2168(8), G.2004.6.4.3 (x3), G.2004.6.10.8 (x6), G.2006.42.5.3 (x2), G.2007.67.14.7, G.2008.34.11.2, G.2008.34.14.4, G.2011.31.1.3, G.2014.50.4.3 (x4)
• Phlebotominae II.1863(7)
Rhagionidae(1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 4) G.2008.34.4
Scatopsidae (6):
• II.1867(1), II.3083(3) (x2), G.1998.38.6.4, G.2007.67.1.2, G.2014.50.4.5
Sciaridae (7):
• II.1865(5), II.2133(11), II.2168(4), G.2004.6.10.11, G.2007.67.6.2, G.2007.67.14.4, G.2014.50.3.2
Sciaroidea undetermined (2):
• II.2166(3), G.2007.67.13.2
Stratiomyidae (1):
• G.2008.34.12 (Figure 18)
Tephritidae(1):
• II.2169 (Figure 19)
Therevidae(1):
• Peratrimera mexicanaHauser and Irwin, 2005, Holotype II.2158(1) (Figure 20)
Tipuloidea undetermined (3)
• G.2005.147.3.3, G.2007.67.6.1, G.2008.34.9.2
Undetermined (4)
• G.2004.6.10.12 (x2), G.2011.31.4.3, G.2011.31.7.1
Hymenoptera (97):
Apidae (14):
• Meliponini II.3084(1) (x3), G.2004.50.1.3 (x6), G.2004.50.2.3, G.2005.147.11.2, G.2011.31.9.2 (x2), G.2014.50.5.3
Apocrita undetermined (3):
• G.2007.67.5.2, G.2014.50.4.7 (x2)
Bethylidae (1):
• II.2162 (Figure 21)
Braconidae (2):
• II.1868 (Figure 22), G.2011.31.1.2
Chalcidoidea undetermined (3):
• II.2168(7), G.2004.50.3.14, G.2008.34.3.5
Formicidae (34):
• II.895(2), II.1867(2), II.2131(2), II.2159(4), II.3084(2) (x3), G.1998.38.3.3, G.1998.38.6.6, G.1998.54.3.3, G.2004.6.6.2, G.2004.6.8.2, G.2004.6.10.2 (x4), G.2004.7.1.6 (x3), G.2004.50.4.3, G.2004.50.9.4, G.2004.50.12.2, G.2005.147.1.2, G.2007.67.9 (x5), G.2008.34.1.4, G.2008.34.10.2, G.2011.31.2.2, G.2011.31.8.2, G.2014.50.5.4, G.2014.50.7.2 Ichneumonoidea undetermined (1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, front cover, p. 6) G.1998.54.3.2
Mymaridae (6):
• II.2133(5) (x2), G.2004.6.3.4, G.2004.7.1.7, G.2004.50.3.15, G.2004.50.7.5
Platygastroidea undetermined (1):
• II.2133(4)
Scelionidae (1?):
• ?II.1872
Parasitica undetermined (31):
• II.1863(5), II.2132(4), II.2133(6), II.2158(3), II.2167(2), II.3083(5), G.2004.6.10.13 (x4), G.2004.7.1.5 (x4), G.2004.50.1.4 (x2), G.2004.50.3.13, G.2004.50.7.4, G.2005.147.3.4, G.2005.147.9.4, G.2006.42.7.4 (x7), G.2008.34.1.3, G.2008.34.3.6, G.2011.31.1.4 (x2)
Lepidoptera (10):
Undetermined (10):
• II.2161, G.2004.6.10.6, G.2004.50.3.8, G.2004.50.9.2, G.2006.42.7.1, G.2007.67.5.1, G.2007.67.13.1, G.2011.31.6, G.2014.50.8.2,• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 18) G.2008.34.8
Trichoptera (10):
Glossosomatidae (1):
• II.1864 (6)
Hydropsychidae (4):
• Plectropsyche alvareziWichard, Solórzano Kraemer and Luer, 2006 (det. Wilfried Wichard) II.1864(1) (x4) (Figure 23)
Undetermined larvae (16):
Insect coprolites:
MOLLUSCA:
Bivalvia:
PLANTAE (13?):
Marchantiophyta (1):
Jungermanniales (1):
Lejeuneaceae (1?):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 11) ?G.1998.38.3.1
Angiospermae (8):
Ericales (1):
Ericaceae (1?):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 55, Fig. 7) ?G.2004.6.7
Undetermined (7):
• V.68584 (with IA.61 and II.2159), V.68585 (with II.3084), V.68586 (with IA.62 and II.2163), G.2004.50.5.3, G.2005.147.3.1, G.2011.31.8.1, Figured Solórzano Kraemer (2010, Fig. 8A), Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 12) G.2007.67.16
Coniferae (1):
Undetermined (3):
Plantae or Fungi undetermined (1):
• Figured Ross and Sheridan (2013, p. 56, Fig. 15) G.2008.34.15 (Figure 24)