New Fossil Ephemeroptera and Coleoptera from the Ladinian(Middle Triassic) of Canton Ticino (Switzerland)

A groundbreaking discovery from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio has uncovered two new fossil insects from the Middle Triassic period, providing unprecedented insights into ancient ecosystems. The findings include Tintorina triassica, a novel species of mayfly representing a potentially new family and suborder within Ephemeroptera, and Notocupes sp., an elytron belonging to the Cupedidae family of beetles. These fossils mark the first insect discoveries in the renowned deposits of Monte San Giorgio-Besano, primarily celebrated for its vertebrate fossils. The presence of Ephemeroptera suggests the existence of landmasses with adjacent freshwater basins during this period, facilitating the exceptional preservation of organisms in fine-grained sediments. This study significantly expands our understanding of Triassic biodiversity and paleoenvironments.

KRZEMINSKI, W. I. E. S. L. A. W., & LOMBARDO, C. R. I. S. T. I. N. A. (2001). NEW FOSSIL EPHEMEROPTERA AND COLEOPTERA FROM THE LADINIAN(MIDDLE TRIASSIC) OF CANTON TICINO (SWITZERLAND). Rivista Italiana Di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, Vol 107, No 1. https://doi.org/10.13130/2039-4942/5424