Menat (MNHN collection): Selandian, France
collected by A. Nel

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Insecta - Odonata - Dysagrionidae
Menatagrion hervetae Nel and Jouault 2022
Nel and Jouault 2022 1 specimen
MNHN '4/10/1973, Menat 63/64
Insecta - Odonata
Valerea multicellulata n. gen., n. sp. Garrouste et al. 2016
Garrouste et al. 2016 1 specimen
MNHN.F.A57315
Insecta - Hemiptera - Gerridae
Cylindrostethus gaudanti n. sp. Hartung et al. 2016
Hartung et al. 2016 7 specimens
MNHN.F.A53794, 53795, 53796, 53797, 53798, 53799, 53800 (7 measurements)
Insecta - Hemiptera - Cixiidae
Mnasthaia arverniorum n. gen., n. sp. Szwedo et al. 2006
Szwedo et al. 2006 1 specimen
MNHN-LP.R 63851 (2 measurements)
Insecta - Hemiptera - Lophopidae
Cintux menatensis n. gen., n. sp. Stroinski and Szwedo 2012
Stroinski and Szwedo 2012 1 specimen
MNHN F.A45773 (2 measurements)
Insecta - Mantodea - Chaeteessidae
Arvernineura insignis Piton 1940
1 specimen
MNHN-LP-R 10428
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Cimbicidae
Cenocimbex menatensis n. gen., n. sp. Nel 2004
Nel 2004 1 specimen
MNHN-LP-R 11195 (6 measurements)
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Roproniidae
Paleoropronia salamonei n. gen., n. sp. Garrouste et al. 2016
Garrouste et al. 2016 1 specimen
MNHN.F.A57266 (1 measurement)
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Apidae
Paleoepeolus micheneri n. gen., n. sp. Dehon et al. 2017
Dehon et al. 2017 1 specimen
MNHN Oli 436/431
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Vespidae
Paleovespa menatensis n. sp. Nel and Auvray 2006
Nel and Auvray 2006 1 specimen
MNHN Auvray 21.6 (2 measurements)
Insecta - Coleoptera
Cucujiformia indet. Lameere 1938
Kirejtshuk and Nel 2018 1 specimen
MNHN Oli 092 ("Probable Trogossitidae rather than Nitidulidae")
Insecta - Coleoptera - Nitidulidae
? Soronia menatensis n. sp. Kirejtshuk and Nel 2018
Kirejtshuk and Nel 2018 1 specimen
MNHN R 63912
Insecta - Coleoptera - Cupedidae
Cupedinae informal indet. 1 Lacordaire 1857
Kirejtshuk et al. 2016 1 specimen
MNHN.R.63906
Mesocupes (Cainomerga) brevicornis n. sp. Kirejtshuk et al. 2016
Kirejtshuk et al. 2016 1 specimen
recombined as Cainomerga brevicornis
MNHN.F.A51119
Insecta - Diptera - Bombyliidae
Paleolomatia menatensis n. gen., n. sp. Nel 2008
Nel 2008 1 specimen
MNHN-LP-R.63892 (1 measurement)
see common names

Geography
Country:France State/province:Auvergne County:Puy-de-Dôme
Coordinates: 46.1° North, 2.9° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:40.3° North, 0.7° East
Basis of coordinate:stated in text
Geographic resolution:outcrop
Time
Period:Paleogene Epoch:Paleocene
Stage:Selandian 10 m.y. bin:Cenozoic 1
Key time interval:Selandian
Age range of interval:61.60000 - 59.20000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Formation:Menat
Stratigraphy comments: The estimated age of the Menat site varies. It was previously dated by pollen analysis, mammal stratigraphy, and an unpublished radiometric K/Ar analysis as late Paleocene (see Kedves & Russell 1982). However, several lines of more recent evidence indicate an older, middle Paleocene (Selandian) age, of about 60-61 Ma. Paleomagnetic studies reveal that the eruption took place during a reversed interval (Kedves & Russell 1982). Fossils of the mammal Plesiadapis from Menat enable the locality to be connected to the biostratigraphic framework established in the Western Interior USA that relies extensively on this genus (Gingerich 1976; Secord et al. 2006). The abundance of the genus, its rapid evolution, and its Holarctic dispersal history allow species of Plesiadapis to play an important role in the zonation of Paleocene continental sediments and in correlation of faunas on both sides of the North Atlantic (e.g., Gingerich 1976). Two remarkable skeletons of P. insignis, one of them nearly complete, have been found in lake deposits at Menat, and this species closely compares to P. praecursor / P. anceps in North America (pers. comm. P. Gingerich August 2008). This suggests an early Selandian age, equivalent to the early Tiffanian Ti-1/Ti-2 land mammal biozonation sensu Secord et al. (2006) (see also Gingerich 1976; Russell 1967, 1975). In North America, the Ti1 and Ti2 biozones occur within magnetic polarity Chron 26r (Secord et al. 2006), consistent with the reversed polarity of the Menat sediments.
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: diatomite
Lithology description: spongo-diatomitic
Environment:crater lake Tectonic setting:volcanic basin
Geology comments: Volcanic Paleolake (maar) deposit
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:mold/impression
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Collection methods and comments
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Museum repositories:MNHN
Collectors:A. Nel
Collection method comments: Also includes material in MNHN where collector not specified.
Metadata
Database number:123436
Authorizer:M. Clapham Enterer:J. Karr, M. Clapham
Modifier:M. Clapham Research group:paleoentomology
Created:2012-01-23 03:58:58 Last modified:2023-07-26 00:00:14
Access level:the public Released:2012-01-23 03:58:58
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
39599. A. Nel and R. Roy. 1996. Revision of the fossil "mantid" and "ephemerid" species described by Piton from the Palaeocene of Menat (France) (Mantodea: Chaeteessidae, Mantidae; Ensifera: Tettigonioidea). European Journal of Entomology 93:223-234 [M. Clapham/J. Karr]

Secondary references:

62492 M. Dehon, A. Perrard, M. S. Engel, A. Nel, and D. Michez. 2017. Antiquity of cleptoparasitism among bees revealed by morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of a Paleocene fossil nomadine (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Systematic Entomology 42:543-554 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
60674 R. Garrouste, J. M. Pouillon, and A. Nel. 2016. The first Cenozoic roproniid wasp from the Paleocene of Menat, France (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea). European Journal of Taxonomy 239:1-9 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
62368 R. Garrouste, S. Wedmann, J. M. Pouillon and A. Nel. 2016. The oldest 'amphipterygid' damselfly of tropical affinities in the Paleocene of Menat (Zygoptera: Eucaloptera). Historical Biology 29:818-821 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
60327 V. Hartung, R. Garrouste, J. M. Pouillon and A. Nel. 2016. First fossil of Cylindrostethinae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Gerridae) in the Paleocene of Menat, France. Palaeontologia Electronica 19(3.33A):1-10 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
63371 A. G. Kirejtshuk, A. Nel, and P. A. Kirejtshuk. 2016. Taxonomy of the reticulate beetles of the subfamily Cupedinae (Coleoptera: Archostemata), with a review of the historical development. Invertebrate Zoology 13(2):61-190 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
68543 A. G. Kirejtshuk and A. Nel. 2018. Nitidulidae (Coleoptera) from the Paleocene of Menat (France). Zootaxa 4402:1-41 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
40107 A. Nel. 2008. The oldest bee fly in the French Paleocene (Diptera: Bombyliidae). Comptes Rendus Palevol 7:401-405 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
48635 A. Nel and F. Auvray. 2006. The oldest Vespinae from the Paleocene of Menat (France) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Zootaxa 1344:59-62 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
82902 A. Nel and C. Jouault. 2022. The odonatan insects from the Paleocene of Menat, central France. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 67:631-648 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
42715 A. Stroinski and J. Szwedo. 2012. The oldest known Lophopidae planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) from the European Palaeocene. Geobios 45:413-420 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
48637 J. Szwedo, T. Bourgoin, and F. Lefebvre. 2006. New Mnemosynini taxa (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) from the Palaeogene of France with notes on their early association with host plants. Zootaxa 1122:25-45 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]