再現(xiàn)1億多年前古代昆蟲的聲音并非天方夜譚,。近日,，中國(guó)古生物學(xué)家任東及其團(tuán)隊(duì)利用化石成功還原侏羅紀(jì)時(shí)期鳴螽的叫聲,，這一“最古老昆蟲聲音”在國(guó)際學(xué)術(shù)界引起巨大反響,。
北京首都師范大學(xué)生命科學(xué)學(xué)院教授任東2月18日在上?？萍拣^舉辦的“科普大講壇”上介紹,，他與英國(guó)科研團(tuán)隊(duì)合作,，利用在中國(guó)發(fā)掘的侏羅紀(jì)時(shí)期保存相當(dāng)完好的鳴螽化石，通過觀察該化石的翅膀特征,，并與現(xiàn)代昆蟲音齒對(duì)比，恢復(fù)出古代鳴螽的頻率和脈沖,，從而幫助人類第一次“聽到”古老的昆蟲聲音。
任東表示：“這一研究成果本月在美國(guó)《國(guó)家科學(xué)院院刊》在線發(fā)表后得到了非常大的影響,。剛發(fā)出來一星期,，國(guó)外的媒體報(bào)告已超過2000多次,。國(guó)外主流媒體上對(duì)我們進(jìn)行了積極的報(bào)告和評(píng)價(jià),，認(rèn)為這是‘最古老的小夜曲’,。”
他指出,，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)有助于了解古代生態(tài)系統(tǒng)和食物鏈,。昆蟲的聲音是生態(tài)學(xué)的范圍，同時(shí)也與植物相關(guān),，因?yàn)槔ハx生活在植物的環(huán)境里,。這個(gè)環(huán)境既有植物也有昆蟲,，還有大量的天敵,，包括恐龍,。
（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1073/pnas.1006460107
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Ancient pinnate leaf mimesis among lacewings
Wang, Yongjie; Liu, Zhiqi; Wang, Xin; Shih, Chungkun; Zhao, Yunyun; Engel, Michael S.; Ren, Dong
Insects have evolved diverse methods of predator avoidance, many of which implicate complex adaptations of their wings (e.g., Phylliidae, Nymphalidae, Notodontidae). Among these, angiosperm leaf mimicry is one of the most dramatic, although the historical origins of such modifications are unclear owing to a dearth of paleontological records. Here, we report evidence of pinnate leaf mimesis in two lacewings (Neuroptera): Bellinympha filicifolia Y. Wang, Ren, Liu & Engel gen. et sp. nov. and Bellinympha dancei Y. Wang, Ren, Shih & Engel, sp. nov., from the Middle Jurassic, representing a 165-million-year-old specialization between insects and contemporaneous gymnosperms of the Cycadales or Bennettitales. Furthermore, such lacewings demonstrate a preangiosperm origin for leaf mimesis, revealing a lost evolutionary scenario of interactions between insects and gymnosperms. The current fossil record suggests that this enigmatic lineage became extinct during the Early Cretaceous, apparently closely correlated with the decline of Cycadales and Bennettitales at that time, and perhaps owing to the changing floral environment resulted from the rise of flowering plants.
