Grube Messel Pit (Senckenberg SMF collection) (Eocene of Germany)

Where: Hessen, Germany (49.9° N, 8.8° E: paleocoordinates 46.9° N, 4.8° E)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• small collection-level geographic resolution

When: Messel Formation, MP 11 (48.6 - 40.4 Ma)

• "lower Middle Eocene, lower-most Geiseltalian, Mammal Paleogene level 11… .575 to .77 m above local stratigraphic marker Alpha."

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: crater lake; lithified claystone

• "A drilling project conducted in 2001 showed that the former Lake Messel was a maar lake, which is a small deep lake that had its origin in an explosive volcanic eruption. The former lake basin had an original diameter of about 1.5 km, and a depth of about 300–400 m (Harms, 2002; Felder & Harms, 2004)."
• "The fossils are embedded in darkly coloured, finely laminated claystone sediments rich in organic substances (‘oil shale’), which were deposited in a meromictic lake (e.g. Goth, 1990)."

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Preservation: adpression, soft parts

Reposited in the SMF

Collection methods: quarrying, surface (in situ),

Primary reference: R. Stritzke. 1983. Saniwa feisti n. sp., ein Varanide (Lacertilia, Reptilia) aus dem Mittel-Eozän von Messel bei Darmstadt. Senckenbergiana Lethaea 64(5/6):497-508 [G. Lloyd/G. Lloyd]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 120798: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Jered Karr on 21.11.2011, edited by Matthew Carrano, Matthew Clapham and Jenna Sandlin

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Heterocera indet.14
SMF MeI 296
Insecta
 Orthoptera -
Ensifera indet.14 Chopard 1920 grasshopper
SMF MeI 112, 188, 676, 684, 818
 Blattodea - Blattidae
Blattidae indet.14 Latreille 1810 cockroach
SMF MeI 1226
 Blattodea -
Isoptera indet.14 termite
SMF MeI 952
 Hemiptera -
? Auchenorrhyncha indet.14 true bug
SMF MeI 1211
Cicadomorpha indet.14 Evans 1946 true bug
SMF MeI 204, 295, 524, 566, 816, 1160, 1209, 1210
 Hemiptera - Membracidae
? Membracidae indet.14 Rafinesque 1815 treehopper
SMF MeI 114
 Hemiptera - Cicadidae
Cicadidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 cicada
SMF MeI 97, 127, 739, 743, 744, 943, 944, 1046, 1213
 Hemiptera - Miridae
Miridae indet.14 Hahn 1833 plant bug
SMF MeI 132, 306, 522, 1095
 Hemiptera - Pentatomidae
Pentatomidae indet.14 Leach 1815 stink bug
SMF MeI 649
 Hemiptera - Cydnidae
Cydnidae indet.14 Billberg 1820 burrowing bug
SMF MeI 79
 Hemiptera - Dictyopharidae
Wedelphus dichopteroides n. gen. n. sp.30
Wedelphus dichopteroides n. gen. n. sp.30 Szwedo and Wappler 2006 planthopper
SMF Mel 1512
 Hemiptera - Diaspididae
Aspidiotinae "indet. 1"31 Ferris 1942 armoured scale insect
FIS SM.B Me 3958
 Hymenoptera -
Apocrita indet.14 Gerstaecker 1867 wasp
SMF MeI 111, 203, 588, 589, 593, 595, 647, 680, 766
Proctotrupoidea indet.14 Latreille 1802 wasp
SMF MeI 596
 Hymenoptera - Chalcididae
Chalcididae indet.14 Leach 1815 chalcid wasp
SMF MeI 1207
 Hymenoptera - Formicidae
Formicidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 ant
SMF MeI 192, 1165, 57, 196, 198, 202, 549, 953, 1117, 113, 161, 428, 514, 515, 547, 599, 768, 1039, 1094, 1208
Pseudectatomma striatula n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 5762, 8153, 10798
Pseudectatomma eocenica n. gen. n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 400
Archimyrmex wedmannae n. sp.4 Dlussky 2012 bulldog ant
SMF Mel 2016
Formicinae indet.14 Latreille 1802 ant
SMF MeI 56, 122a-c, 468, 890, 923, 1204, 17, 314, 317, 320, 512, 561, 603, 654, 803, 812, 814, 909, 962, 963, 1108
Gesomyrmex breviceps n. sp.6 Dlussky et al. 2009 ant
SMF MeI 2305, 11054, 13151
"Gesomyrmex curiosus n. sp." = Gesomyrmex hoernesi6 Mayr 1868 ant
SMF MeI 11953
Gesomyrmex pulcher n. sp.6 Dlussky et al. 2009 ant
SMF MeI 10999
Oecophylla longiceps n. sp.5 Dlussky et al. 2008 weaver ant
Camponotus sp.12 Mayr 1861 ant
SMF-MeI 196 host of Stichotrema
Dolichoderinae indet.14 Forel 1878 ant
SMF MeI 321, 429, 1098, 1206
Ponerinae indet.7 Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau 1835 ant
FIS MeI 202, 662, 7055, 7222, 7369, 7751, 7758, 8298, 8551, 10805, 11007, 12307, 12377, 12628, 12641, 13220, 13339, 13585, 13802
Messelepone leptogenoides n. gen. n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 4808, 7198
Cephalopone grandis n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 5361
Cephalopone potens n. gen. n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 10860, 11830
Cyrtopone curiosa n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 6075
Cyrtopone striata n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 1392
Cyrtopone microcephala n. gen. n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 2407
Cyrtopone elongata n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 10167
Protopone magna n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 8790, 8789
Protopone vetula n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 7679
Protopone oculata n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 2334
? Protopone dubia n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 10142
Protopone germanica n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 10841, 12360
Protopone sepulta n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 5329
Pachycondyla petiolosa n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 1893, 1427
? Pachycondyla messeliana n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 4744
Pachycondyla eocenica n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 10889, 8710
Pachycondyla lutzi n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 11958, 11481, 1361, 3553, 2078, 10526, 11679, 10564, 12975, 13507
Pachycondyla petrosa n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 12273
"Pachycondyla minuta n. sp." = Pachycondyla parvula7 Dlussky et al. 2015 ant
FIS MeI 10638, 10167, 12250, 10093, 13789, 14219
Myrmicinae indet.14 Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau 1835 ant
SMF MeI 456, 517, 815, 929
"Formicium giganteum n. sp." = Titanomyrma gigantea13 Lutz 1986 ant
"Formicium simillimum n. sp." = Titanomyrma simillima13 Lutz 1986 ant
26 in Lutz 1986; SMF MeI 1548a-c in Lutz 1990
Casaleia eocenica n. sp.7 Dlussky and Wedmann 2012 ant
FIS MeI 5565
 Hymenoptera -
Vespoidea indet.14 Latreille 1802 wasp
SMF MeI 427, 548, 651
 Hymenoptera - Tiphiidae
Tiphiidae indet.14 Leach 1815 wasp
SMF MeI 397, 513
 Hymenoptera - Scoliidae
Scoliidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 wasp
SMF MeI 1500
 Hymenoptera - Sphecidae
Sphecidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 digger wasp
SMF MeI 319, 1107
 Hymenoptera - Apidae
"Anthophoridae indet." = Anthophorini14, Electrapis sp.33, "Protobombus messelensis n. sp." = Protobombus (Protobombus) messelensis32
"Anthophoridae indet." = Anthophorini14 Kirby 1837 bee
SMF MeI 222
Electrapis sp.33 Cockerell 1908 bee
FIS MeI 3300, 10890, 12151
"Protobombus messelensis n. sp." = Protobombus (Protobombus) messelensis32 Wappler and Engel 2003 bee
SMF MeI 6388
 Hymenoptera - Ichneumonidae
Ichneumonidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 ichneumon wasp
SMF MeI 195, 594
 Hymenoptera - Braconidae
Braconidae indet.14 Nees ab Esenbeck 1811 wasp
SMF MeI 1021, 1205
 Dicondylia -
Coleoptera indet.14 Linnaeus 1758 beetle
SMF MeI 360, 435
 Coleoptera - Carabidae
Carabidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 ground beetle
SMF MeI 128, 307, 359, 372, 437, 477, 737, 858, 862
Scaritinae indet.14 Bonelli 1810 ground beetle
SMF MeI 126, 707, 1170
 Coleoptera - Chrysomelidae
Donaciinae indet.14 Kirby 1837 leaf beetle
SMF MeI 181, 327
 Coleoptera - Cerambycidae
Lamiinae indet.14 Latreille 1825 longhorned beetle
SMF MeI 685, 969, 1015, 1016, 1027
 Coleoptera - Apionidae
Apionidae indet.14 Schoenherr 1823 weevil
SMF MeI 604
 Coleoptera - Brentidae
Brentidae indet.14 Billberg 1820 weevil
SMF MeI 248
 Coleoptera - Psephenidae
Eubrianacinae "indet. 1"34 Jacobson 1913 water penny beetle
"range from 5 m below to 5 m above marker alpha"
 Coleoptera - Staphylinidae
Staphylinidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 rove beetle
SMF MeI 744, 919
 Coleoptera - Geotrupidae
Geotrupinae indet.14 Latreille 1802 earth-boring dung beetle
SMF MeI 660
 Coleoptera - Lucanidae
aff. Dorcus sp.14 MacLeay 1819 stag beetle
SMF MeI 711
Lampriminae indet.14 MacLeay 1819 stag beetle
SMF MeI 3, 75, 177, 199, 313, 458, 520, 745, 811, 1072, 1131, 1174, 1549
Protognathinus spielbergi n. gen. n. sp.3 Chalumeau and Brochier 2001 stag beetle
Specimen illustrated in Feb. 2000 National Geographic magazine
 Coleoptera - Scarabaeidae
Onitini indet.14 Laporte 1840 scarab beetle
SMF MeI 172 (similar to Onitis)
Onthophagini indet.14 Burmeister 1846 scarab beetle
SMF MeI 646 (similar to Onthophagus)
 Coleoptera - Hydrophilidae
Hydrophilina indet.8 Latreille 1802 water scavenger beetle
SMF MeI 3903, 8114, 11236
Hydrophilus sp.8 Geoffroy 1762 water scavenger beetle
SMF MeI 806, 1524, 4648, 8936, 11127, 11804, 14052
Hydrobiomorpha "sp. 1"8 Blackburn 1888 water scavenger beetle
SMF MeI 5085, 10530
Hydrobiomorpha eopalpalis8 Fikáček et al. 2010 water scavenger beetle
SMF MeI 459, 3893, 3923, 4204, 4272, 4445, 5040, 5577, 7331, 8590, 8801, 8944, 10662, 12304, 14099, 14101, 14614
Hydrochara sp.8 Berthold 1827 water scavenger beetle
SMF MeI 249, 1766, 5069, 6591, 7837
 Strepsiptera - Myrmecolacidae
Stichotrema sp.12 Hofeneder 1910 twisted-winged parasite
SMF-MeI 196b, c parasite of Camponotus
 Odonata -
Anisoptera indet.14 true dragonfly
SMF MeI 523
 Odonata - Corduliidae
cf. Corduliidae indet.14 Selys-Longchamps 1850 green-eyed skimmer
SMF MeI 1225
 Odonata - Aeshnidae
"Aeschnidae indet." = Aeshnidae14
"Aeschnidae indet." = Aeshnidae14 Leach 1815 darner dragonfly
SMF MeI 817
 Odonata - Pseudostenolestidae
Pseudostenolestes bechlyi n. gen. n. sp.10
Pseudostenolestes bechlyi n. gen. n. sp.10 Garrouste and Nel 2015 dragonfly
SMF MeI 14781, 13209, 14712, 14794
 Odonata - Dysagrionidae
Petrolestes messelensis n. sp.10 Garrouste and Nel 2015 damselfly
SMF MeI 11777
 Diptera -
Nematocera indet.14 Latreille 1825 fly
SMF MeI 677
Tipuloidea indet.14 Latreille 1802 crane fly
SMF MeI 1217 (Tipulidae or Limoniidae)
Brachycera indet.14 Zetterstedt 1842 fly
SMF MeI 652
 Diptera - Syrphidae
Syrphidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 hover fly
SMF MeI 1338
 Diptera -
Tabanomorpha indet.14 Hennig 1948 fly
SMF MeI 1218 (Rhagionidae or Athericidae)
 Diptera - Tabanidae
Tabanidae indet.14 Latreille 1802 horse fly
SMF MeI 653
Reptilia
 Testudines -
Testudinoidea indet.11, "Ocadia messeliana" = Francellia messeliana11, "Ocadia kehreri n. sp." = Euroemys kehreri11
Testudinoidea indet.11 Gray 1825 turtle
Fragments labelled SMF-Me-R109 (but not including the type) listed by Staesche 1928 under Ocadia kehreri
"Ocadia messeliana" = Francellia messeliana11 Staesche 1928 turtle
SMF-Me 2607, 2776, 1221
"Ocadia kehreri n. sp." = Euroemys kehreri11 Staesche 1928 turtle
Type SMF-Me-R109 (in part). Additional material coll. SMF-Me : 172, 1557a, 202, 717a, 1457, 1458a, 2764, 1564, 1679, 1782 (Pl. 3, Figs. D et E), 1340 (Schaal et Ziegler, 1988 : Figs. 160 et 161) (Pl. 3, Figs.A et B), 1797, 1807, 2100, 2761, 2767, 3002
 Squamata -
Messelopython freyi n. gen. n. sp.35
Messelopython freyi n. gen. n. sp.35 Zaher and Smith 2020 snake
Holotype: SMNK-PAL 461, nearly complete skeleton with partial skull; SMF-ME 710, nearly complete skeleton with a badly crushed skull; SMF-ME 2784, a nearly complete skeleton with a skull; HLMD-Be 165, a nearly complete skeleton with a partial skull
 Squamata - Boidae
Messelophis variatus n. gen. n. sp.27, "Messelophis ermannorum n. sp." = Rieppelophis ermannorum28
Messelophis variatus n. gen. n. sp.27 Baszio 2004 boa
see Baszio 2004. SMF ME 1828a, 1828b, articulated nearly complete skeleton and ME 1828c (holotype of three parts), four isolated vertebrae
"Messelophis ermannorum n. sp." = Rieppelophis ermannorum28 Schaal and Baszio 2004 snake
see Schaal and Baszio 2004. SMF ME 1812 (holotype), five trunk vertebrae
 Squamata -
"Palaeopython fischeri n. sp." = Eoconstrictor fischeri29
"Palaeopython fischeri n. sp." = Eoconstrictor fischeri29 Schaal 2004 snake
SMF-ME 929
 Squamata - Eolacertidae
Stefanikia siderea n. gen. n. sp.2
Stefanikia siderea n. gen. n. sp.2 Čerňanský and Smith 2017 squamates
Holotype: SMF ME 11241, a nearly complete skeleton, lacking only the distal portion of the tail.
 Squamata -
Ornatocephalus metzleri n. gen. n. sp.1
Ornatocephalus metzleri n. gen. n. sp.1 Weber 2004 squamates
SMF ME 3516 (holotype), articulated specimen
 Squamata - Palaeovaranidae
"Saniwa feisti n. sp." = Paranecrosaurus feisti
"Saniwa feisti n. sp." = Paranecrosaurus feisti Stritzke 1983 squamates
SMF ME-A 160
 Crocodylia -
"Baryphracta deponiae n. gen. n. sp." = Diplocynodon deponiae9
"Baryphracta deponiae n. gen. n. sp." = Diplocynodon deponiae9 Frey et al. 1987 crocodilian
SMF ME 899 (skeleton exposed in left lateral and ventral views); referred specimens: SMF ME 1114 (exposing the left lateral and ventral sides); SMF ME 1348 (juvenile, exposing the left lateral and ventral sides) and SMF ME 2609 (exposing the dorsal side)
Aves
 Aves -
Aves "indet. E"24 bird
SMF-ME 1231, "unknown genus and species E"
Aves "indet. F"24 bird
SMF-ME 11286, "unknown genus and species F"
Aves "indet. D"24 bird
SMF-ME 707A+B, "unknown genus and species D"
Aves "indet. C"24 bird
SMF-ME 11607, "unknown genus and species C"
 Upupiformes - Messelirrisoridae
Messelirrisor grandis17 Mayr 2000 bird
referred specimen in the SMF collection
  - Psittacopedidae
Pumiliornis tessellatus n. gen. n. sp.16
Pumiliornis tessellatus n. gen. n. sp.16 Mayr 1999 bird
SMF ME 2092A/B
 Leptosomiformes -
Plesiocathartes kelleri n. sp.18 Mayr 2002 bird
SMF-MF. 3639
 Neornithes -
Perplexicervix microcephalon n. gen. n. sp.23 Mayr 2010 bird
from "Messel": type in the SMF collection
Protocypselomorphus manfredkelleri n. gen. n. sp.22 Mayr 2005 bird
from "Messel": type in the SMF collection
 Coraciiformes -
Primobucco frugilegus n. sp.25 Mayr and Mourer-Chauviré 2004 bird
from "Messel": type in the SMF collection
 Coliiformes - Coliidae
Chascacocolius cacicirostris n. sp.20 Mayr 2005 mousebird
from "Messel": type in the SMF collection
Selmes absurdipes n. gen. n. sp.27 Peters 1999 mousebird
SFM-ME 2375
 Trogoniformes - Trogonidae
? Primotrogon pumilio n. sp.19 Mayr 2005 trogon
from "Messel": SMNS collection
 Strigiformes - Strigidae
Strigogyps sp.24 Gaillard 1908 true owl
SMF-ME 1645A+B
Palaeoglaux artophoron n. sp.26 Peters 1992 true owl
SMF-ME 1144 A and B
 Gruiformes -
Gruiformes "indet. B"24 bird
SMF-ME 11606, "unknown genus and species B"
Gruiformes "indet. A"24 bird
SMF-ME 778, "unknown genus and species A"
 Gruiformes - Idiornithidae
cf. Dynamopterus sp.24 Milne-Edward 1891 bird
SMF-ME 1577
 Neornithes - Fluvioviridavidae
Eurofluvioviridavis robustipes n. gen. n. sp.21 Mayr 2005 bird
from "Messel": skull in the SMF collection
Sagrinae
  - Sagrinae
Sagrinae indet.14 Leach 1815 frog-legged beetle
SMF MeI 31, 153, 218, 259, 302, 388, 519, 551, 715, 731, 823, 827, 828, 843, 851, 884, 955, 959, 966, 1018, 1080, 1085, 1113, 1162, 1194
 Strisores -
Paraprefica kelleri n. gen. n. sp.15
Paraprefica kelleri n. gen. n. sp.15 Mayr 1999
SMF-ME 3376