A new Osmylidae (Insecta,Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation in Brazil

Cratosmylus magnificus gen. et sp. nov., type genus and species of the new osmylid subfamily Cratosmylinae, is described from the Lower Cretaceous of the Crato Formation, Brazil. The relationships of this taxon remain uncertain within the Osmylidae, mainly due to the lack of phylogeny of the whole family. Nevertheless, it shares with the Mesozoic subfamily Saucrosmylinae the Rs curved and bent anteriorly distally, even in a more pronounced state, i.e. Rs touching R1 in its distal part.     

A possible azhdarchid pterosaur from the Crato Formation (Early Cretaceous,Aptian) of northeast Brazil

The partially articulated, distal portion of a left wing finger of a pterosaur from the Crato Formation of northeast Brazil has a T-shaped cross-section to the second and third phalanges. This cross-sectional shape is one of several characters diagnostic of the pterodactyloid pterosaur family Azhdarchidae (Unwin & Lu 1997). Until now, this family of pterosaurs was known exclusively from the Late Cretaceous. The specimen described here may be the first recorded azhdarchid from the southern hemisphere and the earliest recorded member of the family.     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世新的翼龙类化石

发现于内蒙古鄂托克旗召稍早白垩世罗汉洞组的一件不完整翼龙类下颌标本,以下颌愈合部长且平直、齿骨侧嵴发育、近圆形齿窝沿侧嵴之上的齿骨侧面上半部分自前向后呈直线排列、齿窝直径(2~2.5 mm)前后变化较小、相邻齿窝的间距约为齿窝直径的一半、下颌牙齿密度为3枚/cm等特征,可归入梳颌翼龙科(Ctenochasmatidae),且代表一新属种——郝氏鄂托克翼龙Otogopterus haoae gen.et sp.nov.。该化石是继鄂托克旗新召准噶尔翼龙科的平颌鄂尔多斯翼龙Ordosipterus planignathus之后在内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区发现的第2件确切翼龙类材料,丰富了这一地区早白垩世脊椎动物群的组成。该翼龙也是继甘肃庆阳环河翼龙Huanhepterus quingyangensis之后在鄂尔多斯盆地发现的第2种梳颌翼龙科化石,进一步扩大了鄂尔多斯盆地梳颌翼龙科的地理分布范围,同时表明鄂尔多斯盆地是继辽宁西部之后梳颌翼龙科在中国的又一重要分布区。     

辽宁西部早白垩世朝阳翼龙科 (Chaoyangopteridae)化石一新种

中国辽宁西部早白垩世翼龙类化石非常丰富,其上部的九佛堂组翼龙类组合以含有丰富的无齿的古神翼龙科、朝阳翼龙科等进步类型而与下部的义县组翼龙类组合相区别。本文描述了辽宁西部建昌盆地九佛堂组一新的大型翼龙类化石,其以上下颌无齿、吻端指数为3.7、前颌骨背支细长且封闭鼻眶前孔背缘、很大的鼻眶前孔后端超过上下颌关节位置、轭骨的上颌骨突基部宽大而应被归入朝阳翼龙科(Chaoyangopteridae)神州翼龙属(Shenzhoupterus)。其以较大的体形(翼展2.05 m)、平直的上下颌咬合面、轭骨的眶后骨突较泪骨突长且基部略宽、第4～7颈椎长度依次减小等特征,区别于朝阳神州翼龙(Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis),而被命名为三亚神州翼龙(新种)(Shenzhoupterus sanyainus sp. nov.)。这是辽宁西部早白垩世翼展最大且不具牙齿的翼龙类属种,它的发现丰富了九佛堂组翼龙类组合内容,对认识朝阳翼龙科的骨骼形态与生态习性亦具有积极意义。     

A New Hadrosauriform Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Gansu Province, China

A new basal hadrosauriform dinosaur, Xuwulong yueluni gen. et sp. nov., is reported based on an articulated specimen including a complete cranium, almost complete axial skeleton, and complete left pelvic girdle. The specimen is recovered from the Early Cretaceous Yujingzi Basin in the Jiuquan area, Gansu Province of northwestern China. Xuwulong is among the most basal members of hadrosauriform dinosaurs, and distinguished by its unique lower jaw in having a V-shaped rostral end of the dentary in lateral view and a mandibular articular surface which levels with mid-height of the dentary ramus, as well as an enlarged and downturned prepubic process. Including Xuwulong, three basal hadrosauriforms have been discovered from the Early Cretaceous Xinminpu Group in the Mazongshan area, making it an important area to study the origin and early evolution of duck-billed dinosaurs.     

A New Basal Titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new dinosaur of Early Cretaceous age was recently discovered from the Mazongshan area of northwestern Gansu Province, China. The new dinosaur represents a new genus and species of Sauropoda, and is among the most basal members of Titanosauria. Its finding also suggests that titanosaurs might have originated in Asia no later than the Early Cretaceous.     

A new genus and species of snipe fly (Diptera: Rhagionidae) in Lebanese Cretaceous amber

The rhagionid Lebanoleptis huangi gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon. It is characterized, illustrated, and compared with the recent and fossil genera having the same particular absence of wing vein M3. Other Mesozoic flies with similar venation and currently attributed to the Rhagionidae are briefly discussed and should be revised.     

A new dragonfly family from the mid Cretaceous Burmese amber (Odonata: Aeshnoptera: Burmaeshnidae)

The third Cretaceous Aeshnoptera in amber is described from Myanmar. It represents a new family Burmaeshnidae fam. nov., genus and species Burmaeshna azari gen. et sp. nov. Its exact affinities remain uncertain but it is probably the sister group of the Late Cretaceous family Enigmaeshnidae. This discovery supports the hypothesis of an intense period of appearance of many aeshnopteran subclades during the late Early Cretaceous and the Late Cretaceous.     

A new pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of the western part of Liaoning Province, northeastern China

Pangupterus liui gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Sihedang, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province is erected based on a nearly complete lower jaw. It is characterized by having a total of 36 slender curved teeth with sharp tips, forming a distinct fish-grabbing mechanism; the teeth are well-spaced and are circular in section; the length ratio of the mandibular symphysis to the whole jaw is 20%; and the ratio of the tooth root width to tooth length is 12%. Toothed pterosaurs make up about 56.3% of the pterosaur assemblage from the Jiufotang Formation, which indicates that toothed forms played a key role in the ecosystem.     

A new genus of Trichomyiinae (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Upper Cretaceous amber of New Jersey

Xenotrichomyia newjerseyiensis a new genus and species belonging to Trichomyiinae within Psychodidae is characterized, described, illustrated and its taxonomic position is discussed. It shares some similarities with Trichomyiinae of group B, but retains some archaic features, such as normal and non-excentric flagellomeres, and possesses an autapomorphy in wing venation that distinguish it from all remaining Trichomyiinae. This discovery represents the first Trichomyiinae (Psychodidae) from the Upper Cretaceous New Jersey amber, and adds more evidence on the very high palaeodiversity of the psychodids since at least the Lower Cretaceous. An updated check list of fossil Trichomyiinae is given.     

辽西早白垩世九佛堂组一新的初鸟类

描述了产于辽宁朝阳盆地联合乡回家子南山早白垩世九佛堂组一新的初鸟类化石。因其头骨下颌近前部具有一嵴状突;前肢短于后肢,前后肢长度比率为0,82;掌骨未愈合;后足纤细,第一趾反转,与其他三趾对握;尾椎少于23节等特征,区别于其他任何已知的初鸟类,故命名为一新属、新种一粗颌大连乌（Dalianraptor cuhe gen．et sp.nov）。     

A new compsocid booklouse from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Psocodea: Troctomorpha: Amphientometae: Compsocidae)

Paraelectrentomopsis chenyangcaii gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous Burmese amber is characterized, described, illustrated and its position is discussed. This fossil taxon is the second compsocid barklouce to be described from the Burmese amber and constitute one of the earliest records of the family. A checklist of known Compsocidae is given. Identification keys of all known Compsocidae are provided. A palaeobiogeography scenario is proposed.     

A new ‘primitive’ family of thrips from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Insecta, Thysanoptera)

A new family of thrips, Moundthripidae, is described on the basis of a new genus and species, Moundthrips beatificus, from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber. This taxon has plesiomorphic prognathous mouthparts, a unique type of wing venation and the main apomorphies of the Thysanoptera of the legs and mouthpart structures, suggesting that they were acquired very early during the evolution of this order.     

High fidelity preservation of fossil insects from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of Brazil

Fossil insects from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation of north-east Brazil are preserved as goethite replacements in laminated limestones of lacustro-lagoonal origin. They display remarkable degrees of morphological detail down to the macromolecular level in some examples. We document the fidelity of preservation and reveal an astonishing variety of morphological detail comparable in some instances with that found in amber inclusions.     

A new genus of Sycoracinae (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Upper Cretaceous amber of New Jersey

We describe herein a new genus and species of Sycoracinae (Xenosycorax engeli). This new taxon is characterized, described, illustrated and its taxonomic position is discussed. This discovery is very interesting for the understanding of the evolution of this group.     

A New Thorny Lacewing (Insecta: Neuroptera: Rhachiberothidae) from the Early Cretaceous Amber of Lebanon

<正>A new genus and species of Rhachiberothidae,Raptorapax terribilissima gen.et sp.nov.from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon is described.The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Paraberothinae.The new material confirms the great diversity of the group in the Cretaceous age and its decrease in diversity in recent times.     

The latest record of the extinct subfamily Eoptychopterinae (Diptera: Ptychopteridae) from Upper Cretaceous amber of North Carolina

A new genus and species of female phantom midge Neuseptychoptera carolinensis gen. et sp. nov. in the fossil subfamily Eoptychopterinae is described and illustrated; this ptychopterid is from Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) amber of North Carolina. This is the first member of Eoptychopterinae from North America and the first found in Campanian age amber. We propose to treat the extinct subfamily Eoptychopterininae Lukashevich, 1995, as a junior synonym of the subfamily Eoptychopterinae Handlirsch, 1906, syn. nov. The elongated mouthparts of the new species have broad labella, and these are functionally interpreted as feeders for honeydew, fermenting plant juices, and nectar rather than for biting.     

A new extraordinary neuropterid family from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil: a new insect order? (Insecta, Neuropterida)

A new, highly specialized family, Rafaelidae, is proposed for two new lacewing-like species from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation in the Araripe Basin, Brazil. They have body and wing venation characters that are unique within the neuropterid insects, i.e., head, ovipositor, organization of the radial and median veins and structure of the subcostal vein. This new family cannot be attributed to any known insect order with certainty. These discoveries support the hypothesis of a considerable morphological disparity between neuropterid insects during the Early Cretaceous, as for the Odonatoptera.     

Evolution and palaeosynecology of the Mesozoic earwigs (Insecta: Dermaptera)

Sinoprotodiplatys zhangi gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Liaoning Province, near Beipiao City, China. It is one of the most recent representatives of the suborder Archidermaptera. The classification and synonymies among the archidermapteran families are reassessed. The palaeosynecological evolution of the Mesozoic earwigs is analysed using the new tool of the ‘Wagner Parsimony using Morphological Characters’ method (‘WAPUM’), suggesting that the evolution of the morphology of these insects was very progressive, perhaps owing to their way of life in the soil.