Insects and Plants of the South-East Queensland Coal Measures (Triassic)

Many of the insects that lived in the Triassic forests are easy to recognise and could be compared with insects found in backyards today.

Archexyela ipswichensis (1970) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

The insects at this time were similar in size to modern faunas. Most of the insects that have been collected are wings, or fragments of wings, with occasional body fossils. Thousands of insect wings have been collected in south-east Queensland, and new discoveries are continually being made by collectors.  The most important and diverse Triassic faunas have been collected from the Mount Crosby Beds from the Esk Formation and the Ipswich Coal Measures in south-east Queensland.

Mesogereon superbum by Peter Waddington, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Wing of a Triassic bug, Mesogereon superbum from Ipswich.

Archexyela ipswichensis (1970) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Fossil wasp, Archexyela ipswichensis.

Eoscartoides bryani (1961) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Fossil true bug wing, Eoscartoides bryani.

Fossil wasp wing (2014) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Fossil wasp wing

Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Hymenoptera (2013) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

A fossil wasp showing two forewings and part of the thorax.

Mesopsyche triareolata (2014/2014) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

A fossil scorpion fly hindwing, Mesopsyche triareolata.

Mesopsyche triareolata (2014) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Forewing of fossil scorpion fly, Mesopsyche triareolata.

Mesoses gayndah Mesoses gayndah (1975) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Wings of fossil scorpion fly, Mesoses gayndah. Almost complete right forewing and fragmentary left forewing, part only.

Tennentsia princeps Tennentsia princeps (2003) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Holotype of a fossil leaf hopper,
Tennentsia princeps.

Tennentsia evansi (1975) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Wing of a fossil leaf hopper,
Tennentsia evansi.

Triassablatta triquestra by Peter Waddington, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Railway cutting portion with cockroach forewing,
Triassoblatta triquestra.

Ginko antarctica (1980) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Ginkgoites from the Triassic Period

Today Ginkgophytes are represented by a single living species, Ginkgo biloba, from China. This plant has the characteristic dissected foliage and male and female reproductive structures that distinguish this group of plants. While reproductive structures are rare, foliage that is similar to that of modern Ginkgoes are common in the Triassic Period and various genera and species have been named. Some fossil leaves seem indistinguishable from the modern Ginkgo and are referred to as Ginkgoites.

Ginkgo wintonensis (1990) by Peter Waddington, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Impression fossil of a leaf,
Ginkgo wintonensis.

Tecaropteris aquaincola (1996) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Plant fern fossils

Tecaropteris aquaincola

Tecaropteris aquaincola (1952) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Tecaropteris aquaincola (1986) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Tecaropteris aquaincola (1952) by Geoff Thompson, Queensland MuseumQueensland Museum Network

Credits: Story

Images and text from: In Search of Ancient Queensland.
Principal Authors: Dr Alex Cook and Dr Andrew Rozefelds.
Published by the Queensland Museum, 2015.
Photographers: Peter Waddington, Geoff Thompson.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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