New pelecinid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae) from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning,China

A new species, Shoushida infera sp. nov. and a new genus with a new species, Stelepelecinus longus gen. et sp. nov., both in Pelecinidae, are described and illustrated. All specimens were collected from the Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation, Jehol Biota at Huangbanjigou, Beipiao City, western Liaoning Province, China. The forewing of Shoushida infera sp. nov. has a rudimentary “X” pattern, formed by veins of Rs, Rs₁, Rs₂ and 2r-rs, which is similar to but slightly different from that of Shoushida regilla Liu, Shih et Ren, 2009. Consistent with the phylogeny of Pelecinidae reported by Shih et al., 2010, this new species and S. regilla represent a transition between basal and crown pelecinids and the rudimentary “X” pattern evolved later to a more developed and robust “X” pattern in more derived pelecinids. In addition, the long petiole of the basalmost segment of metasoma, present in the male Stelepelecinus longus gen. et sp. nov., is documented for the first time, suggesting a likely Early Cretaceous origination of metasomal evolution leading to the thin and long petiole structure in the extant male Pelecinus thoracicus. We proposed two probable pathways of the transformation of the pelecinid male metasoma from the most plesiomorphic state to the more apomorphic states.     

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.     

Archegocimicidae (Insecta: Heteroptera) from the Purbeck Limestone Group (Lower Cretaceous: Berriasian) of southern England

Four new genera and five new species of Archegocimicidae are described from the Lower Cretaceous of England: namely Mortalia martini gen. et sp. nov., Tyrion lannister gen. et sp. nov., T. cersei sp. nov., Stannis baratheon gen et sp. nov., Daenerys khaleesi gen. et sp. nov. A transitional position of the complex between Asian Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous entomofaunas is indicated by this new material.     

Lacewings (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England

Eight new genera and 12 new species are described from the Lower Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group, southern England. Sophogramma wimbledoni sp. nov. (Kalligrammatidae) is described from the Purbeck of Wiltshire. Pterinoblattina peverilensis sp. nov., Pterinoblattina fasciata sp. nov., Purbepsychopsis parallela gen. et sp. nov. (Psychopsidae), Ovalorobius edmondsi gen. et sp. nov. (Prohemerobiidae), Mesosmylidus vulgaris gen. et sp. nov., Osmylochrysa anomala gen. et sp. nov., Osmylochrysa fragilis gen. et sp. nov., Stenochrysa gradata gen. et sp. nov. (Osmylidae), Mesypochrysa minuta sp. nov. (Chrysopidae), Purbemerobius medialis gen. et sp. nov. (?Hemerobiidae), Epimesoberotha parva gen. et sp. nov. (Berothidae) and Pseudocorydasialis alleni (Neuroptera familia incertae sedis) are described from Durlston Bay, Dorset. The species Pterinoblattina penna Scudder, Pterinoblattina pluma (Giebel) (Psychopsidae) Sialium sipylus (Nymphidae) and Osmylopsis duplicata (Osmylidae) are re-examined, described and figured. The genus Valdipsychops Jepson et al. has been synonymized with Pterinoblattina.     

Lower Bathonian Belemnites and Biostratigraphy of the Central and Southern Parts of the East European Platform: Part 1. Megateuthididae

Belemnites from the lower Bathonian of the Russian Plate are revised on the basis of the study of two reference sections—Pletnyovka and Sokur quarries. The first part of the study deals with the members of the family Megateuthididae. They include eight species of the genus Barskovisella gen. nov., neoendemic to the territory of the Russian Plate and originating from high Boreal taxa—species of the genus Paramegateuthis Gustomesov, 1960, which immigrated to the Middle Russian Sea in the early Bathonian via a short-lived meridional strait. The new genus includes six new species described in the present paper—Barskovisella pseudoishmensis sp. nov., B. issae sp. nov., B. variabilis sp. nov., B. barskovi sp. nov., B. gracilis sp. nov., and B. renegata sp. nov. The beds with Barskovisella, a new belemnite-based unit, corresponding to the Oraniceras besnosovi ammonite zone and including four successive phylogenetic biohorizons well comparable in resolution with ammonite-based infrazonal subdivisions, are introduced.     

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 species of Eomeropidae (Insecta: Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

The Eomeropidae is a species-poor family with only 11 known fossil species from the Early Jurassic to Palaeogene. A new species of fossil eomeropid, Tsuchingothauma gongi sp. nov., is described based on a well-preserved wing from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou deposits of Inner Mongolia, China. Our new species is distinguished from the type species T. shihi mainly in having very numerous crossveins and cells; more longitudinal veins: 13 and 11 terminal branches in radial sector and medial field, CuA with 3 terminal branches and A with 7 terminal branches.     

Thoracican cirripedes (Crustacea) from the Hauterivian (Lower Cretaceous) of Hannover,northern Germany

Diverse thoracican cirripedes from the Hauterivian of the Hannover district of northern Germany are described, including seven species, belonging to five genera. Of these, a new genus belonging to the Scalpellidae, Jaegerscalpellum, includes one Hauterivian species, J. elegans sp. nov., an Aptian species, J. comptum (Withers, 1910) and an Albian species, J. politum (Darwin, 1851) are also referred to it. A new Cretiscalpellum, C. mutterlosei sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian, and C. matrioni sp. nov. is described from the Middle Albian of France. The oldest record of the Unilatera Gale, 2018, Pedupycnolepas pulcher sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian; this displays typical shell structure of the group, retained by living Verrucidae. Finally, four species of Zeugmatolepadidae, subfamily Martillepadinae, are recorded from the Hauterivian, including Martillepas hausmanni (Koch and Dunker, 1836), M. decoratus sp. nov., M. auriculum sp. nov. and Etcheslaepas borealis (Collins, 1990). The Hauterivian fauna from Hannover shows affinities both with Late Jurassic and later Cretaceous (Aptian-Cenomanian) forms, and includes the earliest scalpellids, unilateran (Pedupycnolepas) and Cretiscalpellum species known. It constrains the age of the Cretaceous cirripede evolutionary radiation to the earliest Cretaceous.     

New fossil helorid wasps (Insecta,Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea) from the Jehol Biota,China

A new genus with a new species, Sinohelorus elegans gen. et sp. nov., is described and assigned to the subfamily Mesohelorinae, Heloridae. In addition, two new species, Gurvanhelorus beipiaoensis sp. nov. and Spherogaster saltatrix sp. nov., are also described. The diagnoses of Gurvanhelorus Rasnitsyn, 1986 and Spherogaster Zhang and Zhang, 2001 are emended based on new materials and findings. These well-preserved specimens were collected from the Jehol Biota, Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Huangbanjigou Village in Liaoning, China. These new species broaden the diversity of this family and enhance our understanding of evolutionary trend of helorid’s metasomal structure, antenna, and forewing venation from the Middle Jurassic to extant.     

Two new striking braconid genera (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Two new peculiar mid-Cretaceous braconid genera, Megalyrhyssalus gen. nov. (type species Megalyrhyssalus clavicornis sp. nov.) and Stephanorhyssalus gen. nov. (type species Stephanorhyssalus longiscapus sp. nov.), are described and illustrated from Burmese amber. According to the particular morphology and wing venation of Megalyrhyssalus gen. nov. a new subfamily Megalyrhyssalinae subfam. nov. is created. The subfamily Seneciobraconinae is synonymised under Protorhyssalinae (syn. nov.). Additionally, a key to the genera of Braconidae having second recurrent vein (2m-cu) in forewing is provided.     

New lacewings (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Wealden supergroup of Southern England

Eight new genera and thirteen new species of lacewings (Neuroptera) are described from the Lower Cretaceous Wealden Supergroup, Weald Sub-basin: Principiala rudgwickensis sp. nov. (Ithonidae), Stenomylina medialis gen. et sp. nov., Protosmylina bifasciata gen. et sp. nov. (Osmylidae), Cretapsychops corami gen. et sp. nov., Micropsychops parallelus gen. et sp. nov., Valdipsychops logunovi gen. et sp. nov., V. brigidae gen. et sp. nov., V. maculosus gen. et sp. nov., V. proudlovei gen. et sp. nov., V. minimus gen. et sp. nov., Psychopsites rolandi gen. et sp. nov. (Psychopsidae), Actinophlebioides valdensis gen. et sp. nov. and Protohemerobius perexiguus gen. et sp. nov. (Neuroptera familia incertae sedis). Psychopsidae are shown to dominate the neuropteran fauna, while the presence of Brongniartiellidae has not been confirmed in the Wealden, due to previously thought representatives of this family being in fact psychopsids. This is the first fossil record of Ithonidae and Osmylidae in Britain. The range of Kalligrammatidae has been extended in the Cretaceous of Britain from the mid-Valanginian to early Barremian.     

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.     

Brochocolein beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of northeast China and southern England

Lower Cretaceous beetles belonging to the extinct tribe Brochocoleini (Coleoptera: Cupedidae: Ommatinae) are revised and five new species proposed in the extinct Eurasian genus Brochocoleus: Brochocoleus yangshuwanziensis sp. nov. (Yixian Formation, China); Brochocoleus crowsonae sp. nov., Brochocoleus keenani sp. nov., Brochocoleus tobini sp. nov. (Weald Clay Group, UK); and Brochocoleus maximus sp. nov. (Purbeck Limestone Group, UK). New morphological data is provided for Brochocoleus impressus and Brochocoleus sulcatus stat. nov. of which Brochocoleus angustus is considered a synonym (Yixian Fm.). The hindwing venation is described for the first time supporting the basal position of this tribe. A simple key is provided to all Cretaceous species of this presumably xylophagous, warm climate genus.     

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.     

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.     

Systematic revision of the fossil snakefly family Baissopteridae (Insecta: Raphidioptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of China,with description of a new genus and three new species

The fossil snakefly family Baissopteridae from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Barremian) of the Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China is reviewed. Two genera and five species of Baissopteridae are recorded, including a new genus, namely Microbaissoptera gen. nov., and three new species, i.e., Baissoptera bicolor sp. nov., Baissoptera sinica sp. nov., and Microbaissoptera monosticha sp. nov. Moreover, Baissoptera euneura Ren, 1997 is herein treated as a new junior synonymy of Baissoptera grandis Ren in Ren et al., 1995. Baissoptera minima Ponomarenko, 1993 is transferred to the presently described new genus Microbaissoptera gen. nov. based on the small body-size and the presence of a single gradate series of crossveins in radial and medial areas of posterior part of both fore- and hind wings. A key to genera of Baissopteridae is provided.     

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.     

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.