A review of Triassic insects in China

Abstract Studies of Triassic insects in China began in 1956, and, so far, a total of 89 genera and 109 species have been found from the Triassic of China. The fossil records from 17 provinces (or regions) in China are assigned to 11 orders, except for two genera and species considered incertae sedis in Insecta. These Chinese Triassic insects, including one Early Triassic, 53 Middle Triassic and 55 Late Triassic species, are briefly reviewed in taxonomy and distribution, and listed here with detailed taxonomic and stratigraphic information. The Middle Triassic Tongchuan and Late Triassic Toksun entomofaunas are introduced in detail from the perspectives of composition and taxonomy. Existing data indicate that the Chinese Triassic entomofauna is dominated by Hemiptera, Mecoptera and Coleoptera; the Chinese Early Triassic insects are only known from Fuyuan in Yunnan Province, Middle Triassic insects are mainly known from northern China and sporadically from Guizhou Province, southern China, and Late Triassic insects are seen widely in both northern and southern China. The Middle and Late Triassic entomofaunas have a similar abundance but show a pattern of being more common in northern China than in southern China.