Systematic, Palaeoecology, and Palaeobiogeography of Nematocera from the Early Eocene Indian amber

近150年来，印度的历史地球动力学和生物地理学一直是一个科学对象，引起了争议，并建立了各种不一致的假说。到目前为止，生物地理重建是基于地质和地貌分析，基于脊椎动物和植物化石的检查，以及对现存脊椎动物、植物、淡水蟹和腹足动物的系统发育分析。在重建过程中，昆虫只起了很小的作用，并没有真正被考虑在内。幸运的是，位于印度西部瓦斯坦附近的唯一最近勘探的琥珀矿藏产生了异常丰富的昆虫包裹体，显示出极大的多样性，已发现和识别了1000多只昆虫。琥珀的年龄为始新世早期(53.7 Ma)，属于第二次始新世最热事件(ETM2)，被认为是一个重要的瞬变气候事件。这一估计的年龄确定也与印度次大陆与亚洲碰撞的假设时间段重合，这是由于板块构造的原因。琥珀产自一片广袤的龙脑香科森林，这也是他们最古老的化石证据之一。那些温带雨林目前主要分布在东南亚。这里要求的项目的主要重点将是保存下来的印度琥珀丰富的线虫动物群，迄今约有500个线虫包裹体，以及对它们的生物地理和古生态影响的分析。线虫苍蝇特别适合进行生物地理和古生态分析，因为它们适应特定的栖息地以及大多数幼虫的水生生活方式。在综合已有的化石和现存生物体数据的过程中，预期结果将大大有助于重建印度的历史地球动力学和生物地理。

The historical geodynamics and biogeography of India has been a scientific object for nearly 150 years, resulting in controversial debates and the establishment of various inconsistent hypotheses. So far the biogeographical reconstructions are based on geological and geomorphological analyses, on examinations of fossil vertebrates and plants as well as on phylogenetic analyses of extant vertebrates, plants, freshwater crabs and gastropods. In the reconstruction, the insects played only a minor role and have not really been taken into consideration. Providentially the only recently explored amber deposit located in the vicinity of Vastan, western India, produced an exceptional abundance of insect inclusions which display a great diversity with more than 1,000 insects already recovered and recognized. The amber is dated to be of Early Eocene age (53.7 Ma),placing it within the Second Eocene Thermal Maximum (ETM2) which is contemplated to be an important transient climatic event. This estimated age determination also coincides with the supposed time period of the collision of the Indian subcontinent with Asia, due to plate tectonics. The amber was produced in an extensive Dipterocarpaceae forest, which additionally represents one of their oldest fossil evidences. Those temperate rain forests are currently mainly distributed in Southeast Asia. The main focus of the here requested project will lie on the preserved abundant nematoceran fauna of the Indian amber with about 500 nematoceran inclusions so far as well on the analyses of their biogeographic and palaeoecological implications. The nematoceran flies are particularly qualified for biogeographical and paleoecological analyses due to their adaptation to specific habitats as well as the aquatic lifestyle of most larvae. In the synthesis with already existing data of fossil and extant organisms the expected results will significantly contribute to the reconstruction of the historical geodynamics and biogeography of India.