A new genus and species of terrestrial isopod (Isopoda: Oniscidea) found in Baltic amber
Abstract
The knowledge of fossil terrestrial isopods is of rudimentary nature and the diversity of terrestrial isopods in the geological past is poorly represented in the current taxonomy of the suborder. Although the number of described fossil species has increased in recent years, many taxa remain undescribed, and several existing species face taxonomic issues due to inadequate or outdated descriptions. No valid representatives of the section Crinocheta, the most diverse section of terrestrial isopods, are currently recognized from Baltic amber. To improve our understanding of the suborder Oniscidea (Latreille, 1802) and its diversity in geological times, we describe the new genus and species Balticoniscus walterludwigi gen. et sp. nov. from Eocene Baltic amber.
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