Palaeozoic insects of southern Africa: a review
Date
2002
Authors
Geertsema, H.
van Dijk, D. E.
van den Heever, J. A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
Although a substantial number of Triassic insect fossils have been discovered in southern Africa,
relatively few insect fossils are known from the Permian deposits of this region. Fossil insects from the
Permian period elsewhere, including the extensive entomological fauna from Eastern Europe (including
Russia), Brazil and Australia is well-documented. The Irati Formation in the Parana Basin of Brazil,
the temporal and lithological correlate of the Permian Whitehill Formation of South Africa, has yielded
fossil insects belonging to Homoptera, N europtera, Coleoptera and Mecoptera. Fossil insects from the
Whitehill Formation are usually poorly preserved and only seven specimens are mentioned in the
literature. An overview is given of the more recent discoveries of Permian fossil insects in South Africa.
This includes the discovery of the oldest beetle in Africa, the oldest longhorned grasshopper in the
Southern Hemisphere and a survey of the Permian insects from the Beaufort Group of Natal. Reasons
for the paucity of Permian insects are briefly discussed.
Description
Main article
Keywords
Permian; insect fossil; southern Africa
Citation
None