Chresmodidae

Chresmodidae is an extinct family of Mesozoic insects within the superorder Polyneoptera.^[2][3][4]

Chresmodidae Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Cenomanian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N [1]
Fossil specimen of Chresmoda obscura from Germany, on display at Galerie de paléontologie et d'anatomie comparée in Paris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Subclass:	Pterygota
Infraclass:	Neoptera
Superorder:	Polyneoptera
(unranked):	Archaeorthoptera
Family:	Chresmodidae Haase 1890

Genera

• Chresmoda Late Jurassic-Cenomanian, Worldwide
• Jurachresmoda Zhang, Ren & Shih, 2008 Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan Formation^[5]
• Sinochresmoda Zhang, Ren & Pang, 2008 Early Cretaceous, Yixian Formation^[6]

Prochresmoda from the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan is not currently considered part of the group and is considered to be more closely related to Triassophasma and Palaeochresmoda.^[7]

Their affinities within the Polyneoptera have long been considered uncertain.^[8] Some authors have suggested that they represent a derived group of cockroaches.^[9]

Description

Chresmodidae are large enigmatic insects with very long specialized legs, probably adapted for skating on the water surface, similar to extant water skaters. They can reach a size of about 17 centimetres (6.7 in).^[10][11] and even 19 centimetres (7.5 in).^[12]

These Polyneoptera of uncertain position have been considered aquatic, living on the water surface, probably predaceous on nektonic small animals.^[13][14]

They lived during the Cretaceous of Brazil, China, Lebanon, Spain, United Kingdom, as well as in the Jurassic of Germany and China, from ~166.0 to 94.3 Ma.^[1]