Aix-en-Provence (Murchison collection): Chattian, France
collected by Murchison

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Arachnida - Araneae - Theridiidae
Theridium bucklandi n. sp. Thorell 1870
Thorell 1870 1 specimen
recombined as Theridion bucklandi
Spider illustrated on plate 47, fig 12 of Buckland, 1837
Insecta - Diptera - Limoniidae
Limnobia sp. Meigen 1818
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 7 in Curtis, 1829
    = Limnobia curtisi n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Limnobia murchisoni n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
recombined as Limonia murchisoni
Insecta - Diptera - Mycetophilidae
? Gnoriste sp. Meigen 1818
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 8 in Curtis, 1829
    = Mycetophila crassa n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Mycetophila meigeniana n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
recombined as Gnoriste meigeniana
? Mycetophila sp. Meigen 1803
2 specimens
Pl 6, fig 9 in Curtis, 1829
    = Mycetophila dubia n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Mycetophila morio n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
Insecta - Diptera - Sciaridae
Cecidomyia protogaea n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
recombined as Sciara protogaea
Insecta - Diptera - Bibionidae
Empis sp. Linnaeus 1758
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 11 in Curtis, 1829
    = Protomyia livida n. sp. Heer 1849
Heer 1856
recombined as Plecia livida
Protomyia brevipennis n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
synonym of Plecia livida
Bibio morio Heer 1849
Heer 1856 1 specimen
recombined as Plecia morio
Protomyia lygaeoides Heer 1849
Heer 1856 2 specimens
recombined as Plecia lygaeoides
Protomyia bucklandi Heer 1849
Heer 1849 3 specimens
recombined as Plecia bucklandi
Pl 46, fig 11 in Buckland
aff. Penthetria sp. Meigen 1803
1 specimen
"New genus allied to Penthetria" Pl 6, fig 10 in Curtis, 1829
    = Protomyia elegans Heer 1856
Heer 1856
synonym of Plecia bucklandi
Protomyia gracilis Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
synonym of Plecia bucklandi
Bibio fusiformis Heer 1849
Heer 1856 1 specimen
    = Bibio sp. Geoffroy 1762
Skartveit and Nel 2017
Diptera indet. Linnaeus 1758
1 specimen
"Strationidae nov. gen." Pl 6, fig 12 in Curtis, 1829
    = Curtisimyia eximia n. gen., n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Bibio curtisii n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
Bibio moestus Heer 1849
Heer 1856 1 specimen
    = Bibio curtisii Heer 1856
Skartveit and Nel 2017
Insecta - Thysanoptera
Thrips antiqua n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Thysanoptera
Insecta - Hemiptera
? Asiraca sp. Latreille 1796
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 5 in Curtis, 1829
    = Asira tertiaria n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Cicadellites obscurus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
nomen dubium belonging to Fulgoroidea
Insecta - Hemiptera - Rhyparochromidae
Pachymerus murchisoni Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
recombined as Aphanus murchisonae
Pachymerus bojeri (Hope 1847)
Heer 1853 1 specimen
synonym of Aphanus murchisonae
Pachymerus pulchellus Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
recombined as Aphanus pulchellus
Pachymerus dryadum n. sp. Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
synonym of Aphanus pulchellus
Pachymerus fasciatus n. sp. Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
recombined as Diniella fasciata
Insecta - Hemiptera - Heterogastridae
Heterogaster antiquus n. sp. Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
Heterogaster pumilio n. sp. Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
Insecta - Hemiptera - Aphrophoridae
Aphrophora spumifera Heer 1853
Heer 1853 1 specimen
recombined as Ptyelus spumiferus
Tettigonia spumariae affinis Curtis in Murchison
Insecta - Hemiptera
Aphis delicatula n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Aphidoidea
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Ichneumonidae
? Pimpla saussurii n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
corrected as Pimpla saussurei
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Formicidae
Formica minutula Heer 1849
Heer 1867 1 specimen
synonym of Lasius occultatus
Formica oculata Heer 1849
Heer 1856 4 specimens
nomen dubium belonging to Formicariae
Insecta - Coleoptera - Staphylinidae
Lithocharis varicolor n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
(2 measurements)
Philonthus bojeri n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
(1 measurement)
Philonthus marcelli n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
(1 measurement)
? Lathrobium sp. Gravenhorst 1802
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 1 in Curtis, 1829 (1 measurement)
    = Xantholinus westwoodianus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
    = Lathrobium provinciale n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
synonym of Xantholinus westwoodianus
Insecta - Coleoptera - Curculionidae
Curculionites lividus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Curculionites
(2 measurements)
Phytonomus firmus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Entiminae
Probably the Hypera mentioned by Curtis, 1829 (2 measurements)
Sitona sp. Germar 1817
4 specimens
Pl 6, fig 2 in Curtis, 1829
    = Sitona antiqua n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Sitona margarum Germar 1849
Heer 1856
recombined as Protainophthalmus margarus
Cleonus leucosiae Heer 1847
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Cleonini
Liparus sp. Oliver 1807
1 specimen
Pl 6, fig 3 in Curtis, 1829 (2 measurements)
    = Liparus primaevus n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Curculionites morosus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
Insecta - Coleoptera - Chrysomelidae
Chrysomela sp. Linnaeus 1758
2 specimens
Pl 6, fig 4 in Curtis, 1829 (2 measurements)
    = Chrysomela tertiaria n. sp. Giebel 1856
Giebel 1856
    = Chrysomela lyelliana n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856
recombined as Plagiodera lyelliana
Cassida blancheti Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
Insecta - Coleoptera
Hydrobius obsoletus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Coleoptera
(2 measurements)
Insecta - Lepidoptera
Noctuites deperditus n. sp. Heer 1856
Heer 1856 1 specimen
see common names

Geography
Country:France State/province:Bouches-Du-Rhone
Coordinates: 43.5° North, 5.5° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:43.3° North, 2.8° East
Basis of coordinate:estimated from map
Geographic resolution:local area
Time
Period:Paleogene Epoch:Oligocene
Stage:Chattian 10 m.y. bin:Cenozoic 4
Key time interval:Chattian
Age range of interval:27.82000 - 23.03000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Formation:Niveau du gypse d'Aix
Stratigraphy comments: "The ‘insect formation’ is 2.5 m thick, divided in two parts that correspond to two very different environmental conditions. The first (lower) episode is remarkable by its lateral mo- notony of facies on a distance of 6 km at least, in the outcrops observed on the northwest of Aix-en-Provence. This lower episode is distinguished from the rest of the ‘insect formation’ and from the whole formation of Aix-en-Provence by the presence of a very numerous thin limestone laminae. The second (upper) episode is remarkable by the presence of many silici- fied laminae. The fauna in this level is also very well preserved"….This collection consists of unspecified layers
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:planar lamination lithified "limestone"
Lithology description: The deposit presents an alternation of limestone and marls with gypsum.
Environment:lacustrine - large Tectonic setting:rift
Geology comments: This lacustrine formation was deposited in a very large but shallow-water lake, with variable salinity and near the marine coast (Nury 1990, Nury & Thomassin 1994). Irregular basins formed during extension of the European platform in the Oligocene resulting from the formation of the West-European rift system.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:mold/impression,adpression
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Collection methods and comments
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collectors:Murchison
Metadata
Database number:122877
Authorizer:M. Clapham Enterer:M. Clapham
Modifier:M. Clapham Research group:paleoentomology
Created:2012-01-06 12:36:25 Last modified:2014-08-24 11:07:39
Access level:the public Released:2014-01-06 12:36:25
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
47506. J. Curtis. 1829. Observations upon a collection of fossil insects discovered near Aix in Provence, in the summer of 1828, by R.J. Murchison, Esq. and Charles Lyell Esq., jun. The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal 7:293-297 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]

Secondary references:

20448 W. Buckland. 1837. The Bridgewater Treatises on the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God as Manifested in the Creation. Treatise IV. Geology and Mineralogy with Reference to Natural Theology 2:1-131 [G. Webster/G. Webster/M. Clapham]
47505 C. G. Giebel. 1856. Die Insecten und Spinnen der Vorwelt mit steter Berücksichtigung der lebenden Insekten und Spinnen. Die Fauna der Vorwelt 2:1-511 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
37344 O. Heer. 1849. Die Insektenfauna der Tertiärgebilde von Oeningen und von Radoboj in Croatien. Zweiter Theil: Henschrecken, Florfliegen, Aderflügler, Schmetterlinge und Fliegen 1-264 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
39159 O. Heer. 1853. Die Insektenfauna der Tertiärgebilde von Oeningen und von Radoboj in Croatien. Dritte Theil: Rhynchoten 1-138 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Uhen]
49087 O. Heer. 1856. Ueber die fossilen Insekten von Aix in der Provence. Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich 1:1-40 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
38709 O. Heer. 1867. Fossile Hymenopteren aus Oeningen und Radoboj. Neue Denkschriften der Allgemeinen Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften 22:1-42 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
49085 E. Oustalet. 1874. Recherches sur les insectes fossiles des terrains Tertiaires de la France, deuxième partie, insectes fossiles d'Aix en Provence. Annales des Sciences Géologiques, Paris 5(2):1-347 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
61455 J. Skartveit and A. Nel. 2017. Revision of fossil Bibionidae (Insecta: Diptera) from French Oligocene deposits. Zootaxa 4225:1-83 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
47450 T. Thorell. 1870. On European spiders. Part 2. Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis 3(7):109-242 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]