Titanoptera

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Titanoptera
Temporal range: Moscovian–Triassic
Gigatitan vulgaris.jpg
reconstruction of Gigatitan
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Superorder: Orthopterida
(unranked):
Order: †Titanoptera
Families

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Titanoptera is an extinct order of neopteran insects from late Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic periods.[1] Titanopterans were very large in comparison with modern insects, some having wingspans of up to 36 centimetres (14 in).[2]

They were related to modern grasshoppers, but were much larger, had proportionally weaker hindlegs that could not allow the animals to leap, and grasping forelegs and elongated mandibles. Another distinctive feature was the presence of prominent fluted regions on the forewings, which may have been used in stridulation. The general shape and anatomy of the Titanopterans suggests that they were predators.[2]

A recent examination of a fossil Theiatitan compared to modern insects seems to indicate they did not utilize stridulation, but used flashes of light from wing displays and crepitation, moving its wings to produce sound. They argue that none of the stridulation, crepitation, castanet signaling or light flash alone fully explains the diversity of structures observed in Titanoptera, and note that both sexes seem to have the fluted region on the forewing. Theiatian is 50 Ma older than the previous oldest Titanoptera, thus Theiatitan would be the oldest known insect with a wing structure specialized for communication.

Some Titanopterans may have been able to only glide, not fly, such as Gigatitan vulgaris. The hind wing area of it is almost the same as that of imperialis, one of the largest modern Orthoptera, and a poor flier, but Gigatitan is larger in volume. All known hind wings of Titanoptera, whatever their sizes, have quite reduced vannus, while most extant flying Orthoptera have large ones. [3]

Classification[]

Order Titanoptera

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References[]

  1. ^ Schubnel, Thomas; Legendre, Frédéric; Roques, Patrick; Garrouste, Romain; Cornette, Raphaël; Perreau, Michel; Perreau, Naïl; Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure; Nel, André (2021-07-08). "Sound vs. light: wing-based communication in Carboniferous insects". Communications Biology. 4 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02281-0. ISSN 2399-3642.
  2. ^ a b Hoell, H.V.; Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.
  3. ^ Schubnel, Thomas; Legendre, Frédéric; Roques, Patrick; Garrouste, Romain; Cornette, Raphaël; Perreau, Michel; Perreau, Naïl; Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure; Nel, André (8 July 2021). "Sound vs. light: wing-based communication in Carboniferous insects". Communications Biology. 4 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02281-0. ISSN 2399-3642. PMC 8266802.

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