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 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.     

Two new genera of belytine wasps (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber

Christophus myanmarensis gen. et sp. nov., Christophus ohmkuhnlei gen. et sp. nov., and Mintara parva gen. et sp. nov., three new species and two new genera of belytine wasps (Diapriidae: Belytinae) are described and figured from males preserved in mid-Cretaceous Kachin (Burmese) amber. These new fossils enrich the fossil record of Cretaceous diapriids, summarized here, demonstrating the diversity of the family before the K/Pg extinction and suggesting an older origin for the family.     

A new family of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new family of aphids, the Isolitaphidae fam. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea), is described for the new genus and species, Isolitaphis prolatantennus gen. et sp nov., in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma). The new species is compared with previously described Mesozoic Aphidoidea, including members of the families Parvaverrucosidae and Burmitaphididae that were described earlier from Myanmar amber. The new taxon can be separated from all previously described extant and extinct Aphidoidea by its 10-segmented antenna, the presence of an ovipositor, siphons, a three-branched M vein and forked C vein. The new species adds to the morphological diversity of Mesozoic Aphidoidea.     

The first record of Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from the Upper Cretaceous of Myanmar

A new subfamily of Ichneumonidae, Novichneumoninae subfam. nov., is established based on two new genera with two new species: Novichneumon longus gen. et sp. nov. and Caloichneumon perrarus gen. et sp. nov. These two new species are the first ichneumonids described from the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber. A list of all described Mesozoic ichneumonid fossil species with their respective localities and ages is summarized. The distribution of Ichneumonoidea during the Cretaceous indicates that Cretaceous ichneumonids were documented from localities at high latitudes while braconids were distributed worldwide, a pattern consistent with the distribution of extant ichneumonids and braconids.     

Three New Stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China

Three new genera and species Archaeoperla rarissimus gen. et sp. nov. （Perlidae）, Liaotaenionema tenuitibia gen. et sp. nov. （Taeniopterygidae） and Parvinemoura parvus gen. et sp. nov. （？Nemouridae） are described and illustrated. All of them were collected from Yixian Formation of the western Liaoning, China. Hitherto, A. rarissimus is the oldest species possessing typical characters of Perlidae; the finding of L. tenuitibia indicates taeniopterygids once lived in the northeastern China in the late Mesozoic, but frequent volcanic activities, climate changes, or other environmental changes might have resulted in the disappearance of Taeniopterygidae in northern China after Mesozoic. Ancestral groups of Nemouridae have been abundant from Middle Jurassic, and male genitalia of P. parvus gen. et sp. nov. has been developed and similar to extant Nemouridae in the late Mesozoic. The stonefly fossils found from Yixian Formation are not divers at the species level, but rich at the family level. The diversity of stonefly implies different microclimate existed in the northeastern China at that time. A large old lacustrine basin existed in the western Liaoning, surrounded by hygrophilous plants on swampland and lake shore, warm and humid; tall arbor and boscage on the hillside nearby, mild and dry; mountains in the distance, rivulets running among the mountains, cool and wet. Many insects, prefer cool climate （e.g. stonefly, raphidiopterans, et ai.）, lived in the mountains with rivulets.     

Discovery of the family Babinskaiidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar

The lacewing family Babinskaiidae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontoidea) is first reported in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar. Two new genera and three new species are herein described, namely Babinskaia martinsnetoi sp. nov., Burmobabinskaia tenuis gen. et sp. nov., and Electrobabinskaia burmana gen. et sp. nov. The male and female genitalia of Babinskaiidae are described for the first time, and the genital morphology is compared with that of some related families in Myrmeleontoidea, e.g., Nymphidae and Nemopteridae. A brief discussion on the phylogenetic status of Babinskaiidae is given.     

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.     

The oldest representatives of the family Throscidae (Coleoptera: Elateriformia) from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber

Two new genera and two new species of fossil Throscidae: Potergosoma gratiosa gen. et sp. nov. and Rhomboaspis laticollis gen. et sp. nov. are described from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber and are compared with extant and extinct genera. The described amber inclusions are the oldest known representatives of the family Throscidae. Some hypotheses on the phylogeny of the family Throscidae and the position of it in the superfamily Elateroidea are discussed.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

New genera and species of the family Dipteromantispidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar and New Jersey

Three new genera and two new species, namely Burmodipteromantispa jiaxiaoae gen. et sp. nov., Mantispidipterella longissima gen. et sp. nov., and Jersimantispa gen. nov., respectively from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar and New Jersey, are herein described in the lacewing family Dipteromantispidae, which is an enigmatic group by the mantispid-like appearance combined with strongly reduced, haltere-like hind wings. The male genitalia of Dipteromantispidae is described for the first time and provides new insight for understanding the familial phylogenetic position. A key to the dipteromantispid genera is also given.     

Early Cretaceous Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) from the Lebanese amber

Four new, monotypic genera of Aleyrodidae from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber are described: Shapashe aithiopa gen. sp. nov.; Milqartis azari gen. sp. nov.; Aretsaya therina gen. sp. nov.; and Yamis libanotos gen. sp. nov. All new taxa represent subfamily Aleurodicinae. The key for identification of genera of Aleurodicinae from the Lebanese amber is provided. The morphological features of newly established taxa are discussed. The importance of the fossils for phylogenetic, evolutionary and ecological studies is presented.     

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.     

Notatudiadema and Aegyptiaris: Two new regular echinoids genera with two new species from the Cenomanian of north Sinai,Egypt

Revision of the Cenomanian echinoids deposited in the Cairo Geological Museum resulted in the erection of two new genera with two new species of regular echinoids. The first, Notatudiadema rekeibensis gen. and sp. nov. is established for specimens from the Cenomanian of Gabal El-Rekeib, southeast the Maghara massif, north Sinai to accommodate diadematoid echinoids having hemi-crenulate ambital and sub-ambital interambulacral tubercles with the adapical part of platform non-crenulate and the adoral one of same tubercle coarsely crenulate. The second is Aegyptiaris halalensis gen. and sp. nov., erected for material from the lower Cenomanian of Gabal El-Halal, northeast Sinai as an emiratiid echinoid with throughout polyporus ambulacra and extremely reduced adapical ambulacral tubercles. The functional morphology and paleobiology of these taxa are also discussed. A new family is established: family Monodiadematidae fam. nov.     

Early Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts and chlorococcalean algae from freshwater and low salinity palynofacies in the English Wealden

A number of dinoflagellate cysts occur in Wealden deposits that are considered to have accumulated in fresh to slightly brackish water conditions. Most of the forms that have been encountered in the Weald Clay Group (Hauterivian-Barremian) of southeast England and the Wessex and Vectis Formations on the Isle of Wight are described and/or illustrated in this paper. Of these, the following are new: Australisphaera longicornis sp. nov., Cassiculosphaeridia parvula sp. nov., Microdinium? fibratum sp. nov., Kallosphaeridium? inornatum sp. nov., K.? spongiosum sp. nov., Pannosiella perforata gen. et sp. nov., Vectensia varians gen. et sp. nov., Corculodinium uniconicum gen. et sp. nov., Lobionella hirsuta gen. et sp. nov. and Spicadinium akidoton gen. et sp. nov. Commonly associated with several of the cysts are chlorococcalean algae referable to the genera Botryococcus, Tetraedron, Pediastrum, Scenedesmus and Tetrastrum. Four of these are also newly diagnosed, namely Tetraedron paraincus, Scenedesmus bifidus, Tetrastrum ciliatum and T. multifilorum.     

A remarkable evanioid wasp in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea)

A remarkable new wasp of the superfamily Evanioidea (Apocrita: Evaniomorpha) is described and figured from a female preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber from the Hukawng Valley of northern Myanmar. Othniodellitha mantichora Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is characterized by its unique combination of primitive and derived features in mesosomal and metasomal construction and wing venation, along with its peculiarly blocky head with a prominent facial horn, clypeal projection, and massive, squared mandibles, among other traits. The genus is placed in the new family, Othniodellithidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov., and is among the lower Evanioidea and distinguished from the Praeaulacidae and other Mesozoic evanioid families.