Classopollis in the guts of Jurassic insects

40 4 November 1095 1101

KRASSILOV, V. A., ZHERIKHIN, V. V., RASNITSYN, A. P. 1997. Classopollis in the guts of Jurassic insects. Palaeontology40, 4, 1095–1101.

Valentin A. Krassilov, Vladimir V. Zherikhin and Alexander P. Rasnitsyn The gut contents of two specimens of fossil insects from the Upper Jurassic of the Karatau Range, Kazakhstan include clumps of Classopollis pollen grains. The insects are assigned to different species of Aboilus (Hagloidea, Ensifera, Orthoptera) resembling the larger extant grasshoppers. The pollen grains show the conventional Classopollis external features, columellate-regulate infrastructure and exinal filaments of the proximal Y-mark as well as a microporous membrane of the distal pore-like structure. Pollinivory may explain excessive Classopollis pollen production, while the intricate harmomegathic structures are compatible with the pollen transfer being by large, short distance fliers. The Palaeontological Association (Free Access)