Insects from Lower Miocene of Ribesalbes (Castellón, Spain). Plant-insect interaction

This paper carries out the study of ichnofossils originated by insects found in the Lower Miocene locality of 'La Rinconada', near Ribesalbes (Province of Castellón, Spain). The main fossil record is integrated by plant-insect interactions that are observed in leaves and leaflets: ovipositions, mines and a chew mark. The insect ovipositions, on leaves of Laurophyllum, Caesalpiniaceae and Populus, show ovate to oblong eggs with 0.9-1.1 mm length and 0.2-0.3 mm width. They occur in eccentric arcs, sometimes with a zigzagged pattern. These ovipositions were produced by damselflies of the family Coenagrionidae. Insect mines are reported in leaves of Laurophyllum and Celtis?, and show a blotch shape in Laurophyllum sp., with a channel-structure, and a linear shape in Celtis sp.? Insect larvae, which were endophytophagous, i.e. internal plant parasites, produced these channel marks of leaf-mines. The mine patterns observed in Laurophyllum leaf are similar to those produced by the recent larvae of the Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera). Such a diverse set of plant-insect interactions are uncommon in the fossil record. In addition, one level with bioturbation, possibly produced by aquatic larval chironomids, is also described here.

Key words: Insecta, Odonata, Coenagrionidae, ovipositions, Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae, leaf-mines, leaf chew marks, Miocene, Spain.