A plesiomorphic gasteruptiid wasp in Cenomanian amber from Myanmar (Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae)

The first definitive Burmese amber fossil of the family Gasteruptiidae s.str. (Evanioidea) is described and figured from a male entombed in amber from the Hukawng Valley, Myanmar. The Cenomanian-aged fossil is plesiomorphic in many respects when compared to the modern subfamilies Hyptiogastrinae and Gasteruptiinae. The genus Hypselogastrion Engel, gen. nov. (type species: Hypselogastrion simplex Engel and Wang, sp. nov.), is segregated into the extinct subfamily Hypselogastriinae Engel, subfam. nov., owing the more enriched wing venation, aulcid-like mesoscutal sculpturing, non-clavate metatibia, and absence of U-shaped notauli. The affinities of H. simplex among other living and fossil Aulaciformes are discussed.     

Two new species of mid-Cretaceous webspinners in amber from northern Myanmar (Embiodea: Clothodidae,Oligotomidae)

Two new genera and species of Cretaceous webspinners (Embiodea) are described and figured, both preserved in amber from northern Myanmar. Atmetoclothoda orthotenes Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is the first fossil representative of the putatively primitive family Clothodidae, and is segregated into its own subfamily, Atmetoclothodinae Engel and Huang, subfam. nov., owing to its primitive retention of a distinct mentum, a quadrate submentum with straight borders, a postocciptal suture that meets the hypostomal sulcus at the posterior tentorial pit, and subgenae that do not meet medially (thus a ventral bridge or gula is lacking), completely symmetrical terminalia, and unsegmented cerci that apically bear a small inner lamellar projection. Litoclostes delicatus Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is the first definitive fossil of Oligotomidae (not including a subfossil species in Pleistocene copal and which is likely synonymous with an extant taxon), and differs from modern genera in a combination of head, tarsal, and terminalic morphology. The new fossil species double the known Cretaceous fossils and add a further two families to the Mesozoic record for the order.     

An unusual new lineage of sawflies (Hymenoptera) in Upper Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

A peculiar new lineage of sawflies (‘Symphyta’) is described and figured from a female beautifully preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from northern Myanmar. Syspastoxyela rhaphidia Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., shares many plesiomorphic features with the primitive Xyelidae, 2Xyelotomidae, and 2Xyelydidae such as enlarged and thickened first flagellomere succeeded by a series of thinner and shorter flagellomeres, absence of a transverse mesoscutal sulcus, multiple preapical spurs, and two protibial spurs among other traits. However, the new lineage has an apomorphically contracted forewing venation, lacks a subcostal vein, has a single marginal cell, and lacks crossvein 1r-rs, and thus it is segregated into a new family, Syspastoxyelidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov. The phylogenetic affinities of the new family are discussed and a position near Pamphilioidea or Pamphilioidea + Unicalcarida is advocated.     

A new genus and species of pygidicranid earwigs from the Upper Cretaceous of southern Asia (Dermaptera: Pygidicranidae)

A third genus and species of fossil pygidicranid earwigs from Burmese amber is described and figured as Stonychopygia leptocerca Engel, Huang, Thomas, and Cai, gen. et sp. nov. (type species of Stonychopygia Engel and Huang, gen. nov.; Stonychopygiinae Engel and Huang, subfam. nov.). Stonychopygia have features similar to the subfamily Echinosomatinae such as the combination of shorter, subequal second and third flagellomeres and femora that are neither compressed or keeled. However, the new fossil species differs from echinosomatines in many details, particularly the slender form, head longer than wide, slender scape, slender and elongate forceps, and absence of stout, short bristles over the integument. The new fossil is compared with its contemporaneous and modern relatives, and comments are provided regarding the classification of Pygidicranoidea, with the genus Haplodiplatys Hincks removed from Diplatyidae to Haplodiplatyidae Engel, fam. nov.     

A new twisted-wing parasitoid from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Strepsiptera)

A second Mesozoic twisted-wing parasite (Strepsiptera) is described and figured based on an exceptionally well-preserved male in mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from northern Myanmar. Phthanoxenos nervosus Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is distinguished from other strepsipteran lineages, particularly the contemporaneous Cretostylops engeli Grimaldi and Kathirithamby, also in Burmese amber, and Protoxenos janzeni Pohl et al. in mid-Eocene Baltic amber, and assigned to a new family, Phthanoxenidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov. Phthanoxenos exhibit features indicative of a more primitive phylogenetic position than Cretostylopidae but still more derived than Protoxenidae. Brief remarks are made on the geological history of the Strepsiptera.     

A thorny, ‘anareolate’ stick-insect (Phasmatidae s.l.) in Upper Cretaceous amber from Myanmar,with remarks on diversification times among Phasmatodea

A new fossil stick-insect (Phasmatodea) is described and figured from a male preserved in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar. Echinosomiscus primoticus Engel and Wang, gen. et sp. nov., is a robust, somewhat-compressed stick-insect bearing abundant acanthae over the head and body, and remarkably lacks an area apicalis on the tibiae. The species is described and assigned to a new, extinct subfamily of Phasmatidae s.l., as Echinosomiscinae Engel, subfam. nov. Brief remarks are made regarding the dating of phasmatodean lineages, with E. primoticus providing the first reliable evidence for Euphasmatodea and even Neophasmatodea in the Cenomanian.     

New Stigmaphronidae and Megaspilidae (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea) from Canadian Cretaceous amber

Three new species within the stigmaphronid genus Tagsmiphron Engel and Grimaldi, 2009, and one new species within the megaspilid genus Conostigmus Dahlbom, 1858 are described from Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) amber originating at the Grassy Lake locality in Alberta, Canada. New taxa include Tagsmiphron spiculum sp. nov., Tagsmiphron leucki sp. nov., Tagsmiphron exitorum sp. nov., and Conostigmus cavannus sp. nov. The new Conostigmus species is a rare discovery. It is the third megaspilid species to be found in Cretaceous amber, with the two specimens described herein effectively doubling the number of known Mesozoic exemplars for the family. We provide the first comprehensive report of known Ceraphronoidea within Canadian amber, and contrast this against other Cretaceous amber assemblages, discussing the potential palaeobiogeographic and palaeoenvironmental implications of the Canadian amber assemblage.     

Early Evolution of Apocrita(Insecta,Hymenoptera)as Indicated by New Findings in the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou,Northeast China

<正>The classification and phytogeny of the basal Vespina(=Orussoidea+Apocrita)are reconsidered based primarily on rich and well preserved material from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou in Inner Mongolia,China. Comparatively smooth morphological transitions are traced from a Xiphydriidae-like ancestor toward Orussoidea via the Jurassic family Karatavitidae,and through Karatavitidae and the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous family Ephialtitidae independently to Stephanidae,to Evanioidea,and,via the extinct Jurassic Kuafuidae fam.nov.to the remaining Apocrita.New hypothesis is proposed concerning development of the characteristic wasp-waist of Apocrita,which is supposed to appear independently and in different ways in Evanioidea and in the rest of Apocrita.As a result,six infraorders are proposed for the suborder Vespina with the following taxonomic structure:infraorder Orussomorpha including the only superfamily Orussoidea(Karatavitidae+Paroryssidae + Orussidae),infraorder Stephanomorpha with the only superfamily Stephanoidea(Ephialtitidae+Stephanidae), infraorder Evaniomorpha with the only superfamily Evanioidea of traditional composition,infraorder Ceraphronomorpha with the superfamilies Ceraphronoidea s.str.and monotypical Megalyroidea and Trigonaloidea,and the infraorders Proctotrupomorpha,Ichneumonomorpha,and Vespomorpha of traditional composition.The family Kuafuidae is unplaced to infraorder because it is putatively paraphyletic with respect to Ceraphronomorpha,Proctotrupomorpha,Ichneumonomorpha and Vespomorpha.Described as new are Karatavites junfengi sp.nov,Praeratavites wuhuaensis sp.nov.,P.perspicuus sp.nov.,Postxiphydria daohugouensis gen.et sp.nov.,P.ningchengensis gen.et sp.nov.,Postxiphydroides strenuus gen.et sp.nov.,Praeratavitoides amabilis gen.et sp.nov.,Proapocrtius densipediculus sp.nov.,P.sculptus sp.nov.,P.longantennatus sp.nov., P.formosus sp.nov.,P.atropus sp.nov.,P.elegans sp.nov.,Stephanogaster pristinus sp.nov.,Asiephialtites lini sp. nov.,Praeproapocritus vulgatus gen.et sp.nov.,Sinaulacogastrinus solidus gen.et sp.nov.,Sinevania speciosa gen. et sp.nov.,Eonevania robusta gen.et sp.nov.,Kuafua polyneura gen.et sp.nov.(all from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou),as well as Kuafuidae fam.nov.including Kuafua gen.nov.as well as Arthrogaster Rasnitsyn,1975,and Leptogastrella Rasnitsyn,1975 from the Upper Jurassic of Karatau in Kazakhstan.     

New Aetheogrammatidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation,China

Two new genera and three new species of the Mesozoic family Aeotheogrammatidae are described from the Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation (Liaoning Province, China): Cyclicogramma rotundum gen. et sp. nov. and Aetheogramma bistriatum sp. nov. from Huangbanjigou, and Curtogramma ovatum gen. et sp. nov. from Dawangzhangzi. The hind wing of Cyclicogramma rotundum gen. et sp. nov. differs from that of other species by its smaller size, its overall shape, RP bearing only two oblique radial branches, and its configurations of CuP, AA1, and AA2. Aetheogramma bistriatum sp. nov. is closely related to A. speciosum Ren and Engel, 2008, but distinguished from the latter by its distinctive configuration of RP1, and the narrower and longer AA2 space in the hind wing. Curtogramma ovatum gen. et sp. nov. is distinguished from all other species of the family by the forewing with M forking very far from the wing base.     

New Prionoglarididae from Burmese amber (Psocodea: Trogiomorpha: Prionoglaridetae)

One new genus with three new species of the family Prionoglarididae, Palaeosiamoglaris leinhardi Azar, Huang et Nel gen. et sp. nov.; P. burmica Azar, Huang et Nel sp. nov. and P. inexpectata Azar, Huang et Nel sp. nov. are characterised, illustrated and described from Cretaceous Burmese amber. Palaeosiamoglaris gen. nov. share several characters with the recent genus Siamoglaris Lienhard, 2004, endemic to the Oriental (Sino-Indian) Region. A new tribe Siamoglaridini Azar, Huang et Nel trib. nov. is established to accommodate the group Siamoglaris + Palaeosiamoglaris; the other Prionoglaridinae being attributed to Prionoglaridini. This discovery implicates a palaeobiogeographic repartition for this particular tribe (Siamoglarini) that is still the same currently. Most diagnostic features show a nearly stasis state, supporting the notion that these characters appeared at least by the early Cenomanian. A checklist of all prionoglaridids is given.     

A new damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

The genus Mesosticta Huang, Azar, Cai et Nel, 2015 was established based on the wing bases of two damselflies from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Here we describe a new well-preserved platystictid damselfly, Mesosticta electronica sp. nov., with complete forewings and hindwings. The diagnosis of Mesosticta is revised and augmented in this paper. Mesosticta electronica sp. nov. differs from Mesosticta burmatica Huang, Azar, Cai et Nel, 2015 in having the arculus slightly distal of Ax2, a free subdiscoidal cell, the hindwing AA ending on the middle area of the posterior side of the discoidal cell, and the base of RP2 being three or four cells distal of the subnodus. The new discovery adds to the diversity of damselflies in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber and puts the origin of Platystictidae to at least the mid-Cretaceous.     

New Stigmaphronidae and Megaspilidae (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea) from Canadian Cretaceous amber

Three new species within the stigmaphronid genus TagsmiphronEngel and Grimaldi, 2009, and one new species within the megaspilid genus ConostigmusDahlbom, 1858 are described from Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) amber originating at the Grassy Lake locality in Alberta, Canada. New taxa include Tagsmiphron spiculum sp. nov., Tagsmiphron leucki sp. nov., Tagsmiphron exitorum sp. nov., and Conostigmus cavannus sp. nov. The new Conostigmus species is a rare discovery. It is the third megaspilid species to be found in Cretaceous amber, with the two specimens described herein effectively doubling the number of known Mesozoic exemplars for the family. We provide the first comprehensive report of known Ceraphronoidea within Canadian amber, and contrast this against other Cretaceous amber assemblages, discussing the potential palaeobiogeographic and palaeoenvironmental implications of the Canadian amber assemblage.     

The first Oriental protorhyssaline wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): A new genus and species in Upper Cretaceous amber from Myanmar

The exclusively Cretaceous braconid wasp subfamily Protorhyssalinae is reported from the Upper Cretaceous deposits of northern Myanmar. Archaeorhyssalus subsolanus Engel, gen. et sp. nov., is represented by a well-preserved female in Burmese amber and is similar to other protorhyssalines, but differs in numerous details of forewing venation and flagellomere number. This species is the first definitive Oriental occurrence for protorhyssalines, expanding their palaeogeographic distribution from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain, and the Upper Cretaceous of France and New Jersey, USA. A key to the known genera of protorhyssalines is provided.     

Mesozoic Evaniidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in Spanish Amber: Reanalysis of the Phylogeny of the Evanioidea

<正>One new genus and five new species of the family Evaniidae are described from the Early Cretaceous (Albian)Spanish amber of Penacerrada-Ⅰ(Province of Burgos),San Just and Arroyo de la Pascueta(both in the Province of Teruel):Cretevania alonsoi sp.nov.,C.montoyai sp.nov.,C.alcalai sp.nov.,C.rubusensis sp.nov.,and Iberoevania roblesi gen.and sp.nov.Taxonomic changes include Cretevania pristina(Zhang and Zhang,2000) comb.nov.,C.exquisita(Zhang,Rasmtsyn,Wang and Zhang,2007)comb.nov.,C.vesca(Zhang,Rasnitsyn,Wang and Zhang,2007)comb.nov.,and C.cyrtocerca(Deans,2004)comb.nov.,as a result of the reinterpretation of the genera Procretevania and Eovernevania.The new well preserved specimens of the genus Cretevania,together with the characters shown by the type specimens of the synonymized genera,give new information about their anatomical characters of taxonomical importance,and the genus Cretevania Rasnitsyn,1975 is re-diagnosed.The holotypes of the Russian species in amber have been revised.A cladistic analysis of fossil and extant groups of the superfamily Evanioidea is included.Cretevania had a wide palaeogeographic distribution,with the highest diversity known from Spain.The 13 known Cretevania species show a high interspecific variation mainly in wing characteristics,and a wide range of body and wing size.     

New Isophlebioid Dragonflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China (Insecta: Odonata: Isophlebioptera:Campterophlebiidae)

Three new species of fossil dragonflies assigned to Sinokaratawia Nel, Huang and Lin in family Campterophlebiidae, i.e. S. daohugouica sp. nov., S. magica sp. nov. and S. gloriosa sp. nov., and new materials of male S. prokopi Nel, Huang and Lin, 2007 are described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. An emended diagnosis of genus Sinokaratawia was proposed.     

New Isophlebioid Dragonflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China(Insecta:Odonata:Isophlebioptera:Campterophiebiidae)

Three new species of fossil dragonflies assigned to Sinokaratawia Nel,Huang and Lin in family Campterophlebildae,i.e.S,daohugouica sp.nov.,S.magica sp.nov.and S.gloriosa sp.nov.,and new materials of male S.prokopi Nel,Huang and Lin,2007 are described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou,Inner Mongolia,China.An emended diagnosis of genus Sinokaratawia was proposed.     

New Isophlebioid Dragonflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China (Insecta: Odonata: Isophlebioptera: Campterophlebiidae)

Three new species of fossil dragonflies assigned to Sinokaratawia Nel, Huang and Lin in family Campterophlebiidae, i.e.S, daohugouica sp. nov., S. magica sp. nov. and S. gloriosa sp. nov., and new materials of male S. prokopi Nel, Huang and Lin, 2007 are described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. An emended diagnosis of genus Sinokaratawia was proposed.     

A second species of the genus Cretoleptochromus Cai & Huang (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A second species of the extinct scydmaenine genus Cretoleptochromus Cai & Huang, C. burmiticus sp. nov., is described and figured based on three exquisitely preserved specimens embedded in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new taxon possesses an extremely elongate body form and strongly extended legs and antennae that provide reliable means for species diagnosis and a ready separation from the only known congener, the type species C. archaicus Cai & Huang, also reported from Burmese amber. The morphology of C. burmiticus also suggests that this species was probably an active diurnal predator living in open environments.     

New pelecinid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus with a new species, Brachypelecinus euthyntus gen. et sp. nov., and two new species, Abropelecinus tytthus sp. nov. and Zoropelecinus periosus sp. nov., are described and figured from three exquisitely preserved pelecinid wasps in the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burma) amber. These taxa, owing to their well-preserved characters in amber, provide a better understanding of morphological changes and relationships among the constituent groups, while further highlighting the diversity of Pelecinidae in the Mesozoic.     

A new species of Glaesoconis Meinander (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) from the Santonian Taimyr amber

Glaesoconis popovi sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) is described from Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Taimyr amber of northern Siberia (Yantardakh locality). The new species may be distinguished from others in the genus by much smaller eyes and the shape of the terminal segment of the maxillary palpus. The generic affinity of Glaesoconis baliopteryx Engel, 2004 from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber needs confirmation.