Biology:Balticolasma
Balticolasma is an extinct genus of Troguloid harvestman belonging to the subfamily Ortholasmatinae. It lived in Eastern Europe (Baltic and Rovno amber) around 33.90 to 37.71 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.[1][2]
Discovery
The species collected originate from private collections with Jörg Wunderlich having one from Baltic amber and Jonas Damzen having one form Rovno amber (northwestern Ukraine). The exact localities of these specimens are currently not known. They are now contained in the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany. The male specimen has been designated MB.A. 4454 while the female has been designated MB.A. 4455. The male is interpreted as such due to the presence of cheliceral apophyses.[1][2]
The fossil specimens of Balticolasma were the first on which high-resolution computed tomography was applied using synchrotron radiation.[1][3]
Etymology
The genus name is in reference to the region it was found in, the Baltics. The suffix "lasama" is commonly applied to a number of closely related modern ortholasmatine genera. The species name is in honor of Jörg Wunderlich, a German paleontologist who worked extensively on spiders preserved in amber.[1]
Description
It was a relatively small genus with a body length of 3 millimeters, excluding the hood. It had a flattened oval body shape. It chelicerae were relatively small and mostly smooth.It had dorsal ornamentation in form of a complex and irregular fine weave that is composed of filamentous elements. It had long, sometimes granulated, legs. Leg II was the longest and the Femur (patella I and III) were somewhat thickened.[1][3]
Taxonomy
This genus is a harvestman which is an order of arachnids. The lack of a pedipalp claw and a large ocularium extending anteriorly in the form of a hood is strong evidence for its placement within the suborder Dyspnoi. It is likely not a member of the family Trogulidae due to the presence of cheliceral and pedipalpal apophyses and the more than two tarsomeres located on leg II. It is also not likely a member of the family Dicranolasmatidae due to their eyes being located on a bifurcating hood. While the dorsal tuberculation of Balticolasma has superficial similarities to members of the family Ceratolasmatidae and in particular Ceratolasma, it is not a member due to the differences in the overall structure of the pedipalps and the presence of pedipalp apophyses. Furthermore, the hood seen in Ceratolasma is simple and nearly horizontal extending in a blunt club.[1]
This genus shares the most similarities with the subfamily ortholasmatine and specifically with the extant genus Cryptolasma. Similar features include the presence of cheliceral and pedipalpal apophyses, large lateral carapace processes, flattened bodies and the hood.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "3D analyses of the first ortholasmatine harvestmen from European Eocene ambers - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica" (in en). https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app012832025.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Surprise in Amber: Exotic Harvestmen Once Lived in Europe" (in en). 2026-03-27. https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en/museum/media/press/surprise-amber-exotic-harvestmen-once-lived-europe.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Anderson, Natali (2026-04-02). "Bizarre Harvestman Species Found Preserved in Ukrainian and Baltic Amber | Sci.News" (in en-US). https://www.sci.news/paleontology/balticolasma-wunderlichi-14668.html.
Wikidata ☰ Q138876772 entry
 |  |
