A new species of Leptotarsus (Diptera: Tipulidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil

Leptotarsus (sensu lato) lukashevichae sp. nov. is described and illustrated, based on a single but very well preserved female specimen from the Crato Formation of Brazil (Aptian, ca. 112 Ma). Along with other Leptotarsus species recently described from Lower Cretaceous beds of Brazil, Spain, Russia and China, this new species is among the oldest known records of the genus Leptotarsus and the family Tipulidae.     

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.     

New antlion species (Insecta,Neuroptera, Palaeoleontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation in northeastern Brazil

Two new palaeoleontid species, Baisopardus escuilliei sp. nov. and Baisopardus pumilio sp. nov., are described, based on compression fossils from the Crato Formation in northeastern Brazil. The external morphology, particularly the wing venations, are analysed and compared with all genera of Palaeoleontidae. The previously proposed synonymy of Baisopardus with Neurastenyx is discussed. Neurastenyx, proven to be a poorly known genus based on an incomplete type fossil, is limited to its sole type species as a Myrmeleontoidea incertae sedis nov. sit. Consequently the genus Baisopardus is restored and all the other species previously included in Neurastenyx are transferred into Baisopardus.     

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.     

A new species of Cyrtophyllitinae (Insecta: Ensifera) from the Cretaceous China

A new fossil species of Cyrtophyllitinae, Vitimoilus ovatus sp. nov., is described from the Dabeigou Formation and Yixian Formation of the Lower Cretaceous of China. It is clearly placed in Vitimoilus Gorochov, 1996 according to the following characters: R forking into RA and RP distally, M forking into MA and MP distally; CuA fused with CuPaα distal of the middle of the wing length; cross-veins in basal part of CuPb–CuPaβ area non-strongly curved.     

New fossil mesosciophilids (Diptera: Nematocera) from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of western Liaoning,China

A new genus with two new species, Orentalphila gravia gen. et sp. nov. and O. caloa sp. nov., and three new species in two known genera, Sinosciophila angustia sp. nov., Sinosciophila seboa sp. nov. and Similsciophila undulata sp. nov., are described from the Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou, Beipiao City, western Liaoning, China. These new taxa, representing the first records of mesosciophilids from this locality, provide morphological information and diversity for Mesosciophilidae in the Early Cretaceous. An updated key to known genera of Mesosciophilidae is provided. In addition, according the generic diagnosis revised by Zhang, 2007, Mesoplecia antiqua Hao and Ren, 2009 should be transferred to Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946.     

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.     

A new genus of Scoliidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of northeast China

A new genus and species of Scoliidae (Hymenoptera), Sinoproscolia yangshuwanziensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Inner Mongolia, China and attributed to the subfamily Proscoliinae. Some characteristics, including complete crossveins 1r-rs and 2r-m in the forewing, and a free section present in almost all longitudinal veins indicate a basal position of the new genus in Proscoliinae. The presence of vein 2A suggests its atavistic origin in Sinoproscolia gen. nov. rather than a true plesiomorphy.     

First fossil insect from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber in Syria (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Lebanoculicoides bloudani a new species of Ceratopogonidae from the Lower Cretaceous ambers of Syria and Lebanon is studied. The new species is characterized, described, illustrated, and compared with the other fossil taxa of the same extinct genus. A key to the species of the genus Lebanoculioides is proposed.     

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.     

Taxonomic study of the Cretaceous lacewing family Babinskaiidae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontoidea: Nymphidoidae), with description of new taxa

The Cretaceous lacewing family Babinskaiidae comprises nine species in seven genera, of which two new genera and one new species are described herein: Parababinskaia elegans gen. et sp. nov. from the late Aptian Crato Formation of Brazil, and Pseudobabinskaia gen. nov. (with the only species Pseudobabinskaia martinsnetoi Lu et al., 2017, comb. nov.) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The reduction of the veins AA2 and AA3 in the hind wing is an autapomorphy of the family. Babinskaiidae are most closely related to Nymphidae, and have probably evolved as a side branch of these. The superfamily Myrmeleontoidea is divided into two epifamilies: Nymphidoidae whose MP (or M) is long, not fused with CuA, and trichosors are present (Nymphidae, Babinskaiidae), and Myrmeleontoidae whose MP is crossvein-like, then fused with CuA, and trichosors are lost (Araripeneuridae, Ascalaphidae, Myrmeleontidae, Nemopteridae, Palaeoleontidae). The aligned crossveins 1r-m and 1m-cu in the forewing is probably the only venational autapomorphy of the Myrmeleontoidea.     

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 remarkable new genus of Mantispidae (Insecta,Neuroptera) from Cretaceous amber of Myanmar and its implications on raptorial foreleg evolution in Mantispidae

Micromantispa cristata gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar. This is the smallest mantispid. Its raptorial forelegs are relatively slender, bearing dense spines and setae on femora and tibia. The first tarsal segment has two long spines on the dorsal apical, which is newly observed in the family. The morphological diversity of the prothorax and raptorial forelegs in Mantispidae through the geological history are discussed.     

A new parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil: The first Mesozoic Pteromalidae

A new genus and species of small (3.5 mm excluding ovipositor) parisitoid wasp is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation Lagerstätte of Brazil. Parviformosus wohlrabeae gen. et sp. nov. is known from a single female imago and is assigned to Pteromalidae. It is diagnosed by the robustness of the scutellum, the structure, size and positioning of the mesopleuron, the complexity of the propodeum–petiole junction and a posteriorly curved dorsal ‘lip’ on metasomal segment 4. At only 3.5 mm in length, P. wohlrabeae is the smallest fossil wasp from the Cretaceous of South America and the first Mesozoic representative of Pteromalidae.     

New fossil species of the Venicoridae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) from the Lower Cretaceous of Northeast China

Specimens of the Venicoridae (Heteroptera) occur in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in northeastern China. We describe a new genus and two new species Halonatusivena shii gen. et sp. nov. and Halonatusivena nervosus sp. nov. from this formation. The veins of the membrane are distinctive; the edges of veins are not simple but resemble an irregular stain, with a reduced vasiform structure previously unknown in the Heteroptera. Remarkably, the antennae of one of the specimens of Halonatusivena shii exhibit morphological abnormality. An identification key for the known species of the Venicoridae is provided.     

New genus and species of Cerophytidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Baissa (Siberia)

One new genus and two new species of fossil Cerophytidae, Baissophytum convexus gen. et. sp. nov. and Baissophytum amplus sp. nov. are described and illustrated from Zaza Formation (Lower Cretaceous), Eravnensky (Bauntovsky) District, Buriatskay Autonomous Republic (Transbaikalia), Russia.     

The first Mesozoic pleasing lacewing (Neuroptera: Dilaridae)

Cretanallachius magnificus gen. et sp. nov., first Mesozoic and earliest record of the Dilaridae (Neuroptera), is described from the Cretaceous Burmese amber. Its putative closest relative is the recent subfamily Nallachiinae known by the sole genus Nallachius.     

辽宁建昌早白垩世孔子鸟一新材料

记述了辽宁建昌头道营子早白垩世九佛堂组发现的孔子鸟化石一新种—建昌孔子鸟(Confuci-usornis jianchangensis sp.nov.)。尽管新种缺失前肢及肩带,还是在许多特征上很容易与属型种(圣贤孔子鸟)相区别。例如,个体小、鳞骨近三角形、方骨粗大、齿骨前端有突起、跗蹠骨近端愈合、第V跗蹠骨不存在和尾综骨粗大等。新种是孔子鸟类在建昌地区的首次发现,对于展示孔子鸟类的多样性等具有较重要意义。     

New caddisflies species (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Cretaceous Taymyr amber

Four new Trichoptera species: Kliganigadukia taymyrensis gen. et sp. nov. (Hydrobiosidae), Archaeopolycentra yantardakh sp. nov. (Polycentropodidae), Taymyrodipseudon protopegasus gen. et sp. nov. (Dipseudopsidae), and Siberoclea parapolaria gen. et sp. nov. (Leptoceridae) from Late Cretaceous amber (Santonian, Kheta Formation, 85 Ma) of Taymyr (Siberia, Russian Federation) are described and illustrated. Data on the Cretaceous amber Trichoptera (13 families, 20 genera, 29 species) are summarized and discussed.     

中国辽宁义县早白垩世燕鸟一新种

辽宁锦州义县早白垩世义县组发现了一种新型燕鸟(Yanornis)化石.该新型化石具有燕鸟的典型特征,如齿骨直且约占头骨全长的2/3、每侧约含20枚牙齿,颈椎细长,异凹型.愈合荐椎包括9枚脊椎,前肢约为后肢长的1.1倍.近端脚趾较其它趾节长和粗壮.然而,该新型化石部分特征又不同于燕鸟的模式种——马氏燕鸟(Yanornis martini),如其肱骨三角肌脊强烈发育,约为肱骨长度的一半.尺骨、桡骨及手部近等长,均长于肱骨.耻骨联合部较短,与尾综骨等长,不到耻骨长度的1/6.腓骨较长,约为股骨长度的4/5,约为胫跗骨长度的2/3.跗跖骨较短并完全愈合,不及胫跗骨长度一半.根据该新型化石的独特性及其与义县鸟、松岭鸟和马氏燕鸟的特征对比,笔者建立了燕鸟一新种——国章燕鸟(Yanornis guozhangisp.nov.).此外,国章燕鸟(新种)颈部还保存有3条鱼化石,这一特殊现象为研究燕鸟的生活习性和发育模式提供了重要信息.