Review of the Extinct FamilySyntonopteridae (Order Uncertain)

[摘要] The family Syntonopteridae was named by Handlirsch in 1911 fora new genus and species,Syntonoptera schucherti, from the UpperCarboniferous of Mazon Creek, Illinois. Although the unique specimenon which the species was based consisted of only a wing fragment,the presence of several intercalary, triad veins was of unusualinterest. During the 75 years that have passed since then, only sixadditional specimens of the family have been found (Carpenter,1938, 1944; Richardson, 1956), all of them in the Mazon Creek beds.The latest of these specimens was sent to me for study by Dr. E. S.Richardson, Jr., a few months before his death, and I have onlyrecently had the opportunity to study it and prepare illustrations.While working on this fossil, I decided to reexamine at the sametime the other five specimens in the family known to me. A review ofthese specimens is included here, followed by revised diagnoses ofthe family and of the two known genera.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）