Insect mimicry of plants dates back to the Permian

Romain Garrouste (), Sylvain Hugel, Lauriane Jacquelin, Pierre Rostan, J.-Sébastien Steyer, Laure Desutter-Grandcolas and André Nel ()
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Romain Garrouste: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités
Sylvain Hugel: INCI, UPR 3212 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg
Lauriane Jacquelin: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités
Pierre Rostan: Mines and Avenir, Les Albrands
J.-Sébastien Steyer: Centre de Recherches en Paléobiodiversité et Paléoenvironnements, UMR 7202—CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités
Laure Desutter-Grandcolas: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités
André Nel: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract In response to predation pressure, some insects have developed spectacular plant mimicry strategies (homomorphy), involving important changes in their morphology. The fossil record of plant mimicry provides clues to the importance of predation pressure in the deep past. Surprisingly, to date, the oldest confirmed records of insect leaf mimicry are Mesozoic. Here we document a crucial step in the story of adaptive responses to predation by describing a leaf-mimicking katydid from the Middle Permian. Our morphometric analysis demonstrates that leaf-mimicking wings of katydids can be morphologically characterized in a non-arbitrary manner and shows that the new genus and species Permotettigonia gallica developed a mimicking pattern of forewings very similar to those of the modern leaf-like katydids. Our finding suggests that predation pressure was already high enough during the Permian to favour investment in leaf mimicry.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13735

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