title: Insect mimicry of plants dates back to the Permian.
abstract: In response to predation pressure, some insects have developed spectacular plant mimicry strategies (homomorphy), involving important changes in their morphology. The fossil record of plant mimicry provides clues to the importance of predation pressure in the deep past. Surprisingly, to date, the oldest confirmed records of insect leaf mimicry are Mesozoic. Here we document a crucial step in the story of adaptive responses to predation by describing a leaf-mimicking katydid from the Middle Permian. Our morphometric analysis demonstrates that leaf-mimicking wings of katydids can be morphologically characterized in a non-arbitrary manner and shows that the new genus and species Permotettigonia gallica developed a mimicking pattern of forewings very similar to those of the modern leaf-like katydids. Our finding suggests that predation pressure was already high enough during the Permian to favour investment in leaf mimicry.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garrouste
authors.affiliation: INCI, UPR 3212 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 8 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hugel
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Lauriane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacquelin
authors.affiliation: Mines and Avenir, Les Albrands, F-05380 Châteauroux Les Alpes, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rostan
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches en Paléobiodiversité et Paléoenvironnements, UMR 7202-CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 8 rue Buffon, CP 38, F-75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: J-Sébastien
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Steyer
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Desutter-Grandcolas
authors.affiliation: Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB, UMR 7205, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000067558:Biological Mimicry; D005580:Fossils / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D049690:History, Ancient; D008954:Models, Biological; D009987:Orthoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior