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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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