Survivors of the extreme: fungus gnats from the PETM recovery interval of the Eocene Fur Formation in Denmark

The Fur Formation (approx. 55 Ma) of Denmark provides valuable insight into the early Eocene ecosystems of Europe. The study of its biota, which developed shortly after the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) episode of rapid global warming, offers a unique opportunity to investigate fauna that evolved during an abrupt climatic change, similar to those observed nowadays. In this study, we report the discovery of another insect family from the Fur Fm., Keroplatidae (Diptera: Nematocera), represented by a well-preserved male specimen of Macrocera furastica sp. nov. and a single wing belonging to an unidentified Macrocera species. Both specimens were found in the formation unit corresponding to the PETM recovery phase.