An unusual preservation of a new species of Cicadomorpha (Auchenorrhyncha) from the Crato formation, Lower Cretaceous of Brazil

摘要: The Crato Formation boasts an extremely high diversity and abundance of fossil insects with many families preserved in the limestone beds, and several yet unnamed taxa. Here, we present a new insect species found in the Crato Formation limestone associated with branches and leaves of Ruffordia goeppertii, a small creeping plant of Leptosporangiate ferns. The insect is assigned as a member of the Cicadellidae family and is named Hallex martinsnetoi sp. nov. based on morphological description based also on SEM images. The new specimen is articulated and preserved in three-dimensionality, suggesting a relatively fast burial preventing the contact with decomposers or preservation in local anoxic conditions. This fossil shows a rare example of preservation involving Ruffordia goepertii leaves and the Cicadellidae (leafhopper) specimen. The fact that Hallex martinsnetoi sp. nov. was preserved in one leaf …