Protophasma

Protophasma is an extinct genus of protorthopteran insect from the Carboniferous of Europe and North America.

Description

Three species of Protophasma are described, type species, Protophasma dumasii is known from Late Carboniferous Coal Measures of Commentry, France. Protophasma galtieri is known from Mazon Creek fossil beds in Illinois, and Protophasma multidiffusa, originally described as Heterologellus ''multidiffusus, is known from Germany. Previously assigned species, P. gaudryi later moved to the genus Protodiamphipnoa, and P. woodwardi moved into genus Cnemidolestes.
P. dumasii'' have forewings with morphology that allows the assignment of Archaeorthoptera, but hindwings have morphological similarity to Blattodea.