Dragonfly, genus Aeschnidium, species ID needed

[Quetzalcoatlus]

A friend of mine have this dragonfly coming from Beipiao, Liaoxi, China, he bought it as Aeschnidium sp. It would be possible to figure out the species, even tentatively? Thanks!

[Max-fossils]

Nice piece!

According to Fossilworks , (type in "Aeschnidium" in the search bar) there are only two species of Aeschnidium, none of which are present in China...

 

Those are some related chinese dragonflies from the Cretaceous: 

• Brunneaeschnidia
• Dracontaeschnidium
• Linaeschnidium
• Pseudosamarura
• Sinaeschnidia
• Sinostenophlebia 
• Stylaeschnidium
• Yixiangomphus

You might want to look into those genera and try to find a better match. 

I am no expert when it comes to insects, or the fossils from China. But other members might be of more help than me.

 

Best regards,

 

Max

[piranha]

53 minutes ago, Max-fossils said:

According to Fossilworks , (type in "Aeschnidium" in the search bar) there are only two species of Aeschnidium, none of which are present in China...

 

 

You should not rely on the Paleobiology Database as a definitive resource.  To be thorough, always check the literature at Google Scholar.

 

Aeschnidium heishankowense - Liaoning Province, China

 

figure from:

 

Chang, M., Chen, P., Wang, Y., Wang, Y., & Miao, D. (2003)
The Jehol Biota: The emergence of feathered dinosaurs, beaked birds and flowering plants.
Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers, 208 pp.

 

[Quetzalcoatlus]

Thanks to both! There is a possibility that the vendor tagged this piece badly and it's not an Aeschnidium, but the image posted by piranha is very similar to mine, including long ovipositor and apparent wing colour markings, Would do you think that I could tag my photo as Aeschnidium cf. heishankowense or even as Aeschnidium heishankowense? It is the only species recorded in China?

[Quetzalcoatlus]

Researching a bit more. In this same forum, it's said that Aeschnidium heishankowense is the correct name for Sinaeschnidia cancellosa. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/47182-chinese-crinoid-and-dragonfly/

 

 

Can you confirm this new name status? It's a shame, as I already had photos of various specimens of Sinaeschnidia cancellosa. But that would explain the Paleology Database absence of Aeschnidium in China as they list as Sinaeschnidia...

Please somebody confirm me that my image is, or at least probably is, a "Sinaeschnidia cancellosa (now Aeschnidium heishankowense)?

[piranha]

Paleobiology Database is an ambitious project, unfortunately it is far from a reliable, complete resource.

Sinaeschnidia cancellosa is a junior synonym.  The current classification is: Aeschnidium heishankowense 

 

 

"Recently, a great quantity of adult dragonflies with fore and / or hindwings in connection with bodies have fortunately been recovered from the Yixian Formation in Beipiao City (Figure 4A–E, G). They were regarded by Ren et al. (1995) as a new species, Sinaeschnidia cancellosa Ren, 1995, but I do not recognize any difference in morphology between it and Aeschnidium heishankowense."

 

Zhang, J. (1999)

Aeschnidiid nymphs from the Jehol biota (latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous), China, with a discussion of the family Aeschnidiidae (Insecta, Odonata).

Cretaceous Research, 20:813-827

[Quetzalcoatlus]

Thanks! Then I'll update my photo titles.

[doushantuo]

I have the Zhang article Piranha mentions.

Have read it too

Actually,it's indispensable for an informed view of/on your specimen