New Lower Cretaceous polyphagid cockroaches from Spain (Blattaria, Polyphagidae, Vitisminae subfam. nov.)

Vitisma occidentalis sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain, closely r elated to V. rasnitsyni from the Lower Cretaceous of Siberia, is described based on isolated forewings. An isolated hindwing is tentatively attributed to the same species. Besides representatives of the Blattulidae and Mesobl attinidae, two similar species of Polyphagidae, one archaic (Vitisma occide ntalis), the other more advanced (Cretaholocompsa montsecana), are found in the Lower Barremian of Spain (Montsec). The new subfamily Vitisminae compr ises Vitisma and Cretaholocompsa and some undescribed species from the Lowe r Cretaceous of Mongolia and the Turonian of Kazakhstan. The vitisminae pro bably shared a cryptic niche in, and fed on the fruiting organs of unknown plants and/or in their fallen remains. (C) 2001 Academic Press.