Serphitid wasps in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Hymenoptera: Serphitidae)

The diversity of serphitid wasps (Proctotrupomorpha: Serphitoidea) in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Spain is described. Four new species have been found representing the genera Serphites Brues 1937, Aposerphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979, and Microserphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979. From the Peñacerrada I (Moraza) outcrop two species are described as Aposerphites angustus Ortega-Blanco, Delclòs, Peñalver and Engel, new species and Serphites lamiak, new species. A single species was found at the San Just (Teruel) outcrop and is described as S. silban, new species. Another single specimen was found in El Soplao (Cantabria) outcrop, described as Microserphites soplaensis, new species. This last specimen is especially interesting in sharing typical serphitid and mymarommatoid characters, giving additional support to the apparent close relationship of both groups.     

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.     

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 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.     

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.     

The first water measurers from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Spain (Heteroptera,Hydrometridae, Heterocleptinae)

Two fossils belonging to a new genus and species of water measurer (Gerromorpha, Hydrometridae), Alavametra popovi Sánchez-García and Nel gen. n., sp. n., are described as first definitive record of the family in Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) amber from the Utrillas Group (Peñacerrada I site) in Spain. Although several parts of the specimens are obscured due to preservation, a sufficient number of taxonomical characters are visible to consider adequate placement within Heterocleptinae, including the very long posterior pair of cephalic trichobothria inserted on tubercles and the preapical articulation between the first and second antennal segments. The new fossil taxon is included into a cladistic analysis with extinct and extant hydrometrids, and it results putatively basal among the subfamily Heterocleptinae, suggesting that this clade was already present 105 Ma ago.     

A new genus and species of Praeaulacidae (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new fossil praeaulacid wasp, Habraulacus zhaoi gen. et sp. nov., is described and figured from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus is established based on the following characters: mesosoma stout, metasoma elongated ellipse with the first metasomal segment very thin and tubular (like a petiole), forewing with pterostigma long and narrow, and both veins Rs+M and 1m-cu very long, forming a long cell 1mcu. Species of Praeaulacidae demonstrate a distinct evolutionary trend, which consists of miniaturization, venational reduction and enlargement of pterostigma, and reduction of number of the antennal segments from the Jurassic to Cretaceous. However, except for the miniaturization, this hardly concerns Habraulacus.     

A new species of Baikuris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Sphecomyrminae) in mid-Cretaceous amber from France

A new species of the extinct ant genus Baikuris Dlussky, 1987 (Formicidae: Sphecomyrminae) is described and figured from a male preserved in a piece of ∼100 Myr amber from Charentes, in southwestern France. Baikuris maximus sp. nov., is distinguished from other species notably by its larger size, its forewing with vein 2M+Cu absent and vein 3Cu tubular, and the presence of a subpetiolar process. The diagnosis of the genus is emended, and its distribution during the Cretaceous is briefly discussed.     

A putative twisted-wing parasitoid planidium (Insecta: Strepsiptera) in Taimyr Upper Cretaceous amber

A planidium is newly recorded from Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) amber of the Taimyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Siberia. This peculiar fossil is tentatively attributed to the order Strepsiptera, representing the first record of this lineage from these deposits. Planidia of a similar conicocephalate form are known from the slightly younger amber of western Canada (Campanian) as well as in the earlier (Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar, and comparisons are made with those fossils, as well as with living Strepsiptera and the beetle family Ripiphoridae (Tenebrionoidea). Given recent debate concerning the strepsipteran attribution of these planidia, we provide some discussion about the available and expected character evidence, and tend to believe assignment to Ripiphoridae is untenable. While placement with Strepsiptera remains difficult to state conclusively, the current limited evidence still tends to prefer the strepsipteran hypothesis.     

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.     

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.     

Hymenoptera (wasps,bees and ants) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber: A review of the fauna

The Burmese amber assemblage of Hymenoptera with its 47 constituent families is now the richest in Cretaceous. A collection of Burmite (Burmese amber) from the Hukawng Valley, Myanmar at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences was examined, revealing that Burmite inclusions contain a very highly diverse hymenopteran fauna with as many as ten families found new for the Burmese fossil assemblage. The mid-Cretaceous hymenopteran fauna of Burmese amber is revised at the family level. A high level of the first family occurrences and endemism is demonstrated suggestive of an insular syndrome affected the mid-Cretaceous Burmese biome, as well as somewhat contradictory features in composition of the hymenopteran families there.     

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.     

New Cretaceous Scoliidae (Vespida=Hymenoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain and Brazil

A new genus, Cretaproscolia, and three new species of scoliid wasps, Archaeoscolia hispanica, Cretoscolia montsecana and Cretaproscolia josai, are described from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain and Brazil. The species representing the new genus is attributed to the plesiomorphic extant subfamily Proscoliinae, while the two other new species are assigned to two previously described genera in the extinct, archaic subfamily Archaeoscoliinae. The Brazilian species is the first Mesozoic scoliidid to have been described from the New World.     

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.     

Pelecinid wasps (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea) from the Cretaceous of Russia and Mongolia

Thirteen new species referable to four genera, of which one is new, from the Cretaceous of Russia and Mongolia are established herein and assigned to the family Pelecinidae. Among the four genera, Protopelecinus gen. nov., including four new species, is referred to the subfamily Pelecininae, while Iscopinus Kozlov, including three new species, Eopelecinus Zhang, Rasnitsyn and Zhang, including five new species, and Scorpiopelecinus laetus sp. nov. are assigned to the subfamily Iscopininae. Of these new taxa, eight, namely Protopelecinus regularis, P. furtivus, Iscopinus simplex, ?I. suspectus, Eopelecinus exquisitus, E. scorpioideus, E. rudis and Scorpiopelecinus laetus, are from the Lower Cretaceous Zaza Formation of Baissa, Transbaikalia, Russia; two, E. minutus and E. fragilis, are from the basal Lower Cretaceous Tsagan-Tsab Formation of Khutel-Khara, Mongolia; two, P. dubius and P. deformis, are from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian?) of Bon Tsagan, Mongolia; and one, I. separatus, is from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Ola Formation of Obeshchayushchiy, Russia. A key to fossil pelecinid wasps is provided and a morphological analysis shows that the Pelecinidae might be paraphyletic with respect to the Proctotrupidae. The Chinese insect fauna from both the Yixian and Laiyang formations is dominated by Eopelecinus and Sinopelecinus whereas the Siberian + Mongolian fauna from the Zaza and Tsagan-Tsab formations is dominated by Eopelecinus and Iscopinus. Hence, Eopelecinus is common to both. The differences between the two faunas are likely to be the result of geographical variation in populations.     

Two new species of Archipseudophasmatidae (Insecta: Phasmatodea) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

Two new stick insect nymphs, Pseudoperla scapiforma sp. nov. and Pseudoperla leptoclada sp. nov. in Archipseudophasmatidae of Phasmatodea, are described from the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Compared to Pseudoperla gracilipes Pictet & Berendt, 1854, the two new species have the following differential characters: flagellomeres significantly elongated, metanotum rectangular and median segment longer than metanotum. Furthermore, the mesonotum of Pseudoperla leptoclada sp. nov. is rectangular and considerably longer than pronotum vs. mesonotum is quadrate and slightly shorter than pronotum in P. gracilipes. In addition, a slight curvature in the profemora indicates the Cretaceous evolutionary origin of this important character of Euphasmatodea. These two new taxa not only broaden the diversity of Archipseudophasmatidae, but also dated this family back to the Upper Cretaceous.     

Cretaceous moths (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae) with preserved scales from Myanmar amber

Two new species of Micropterigidae, Sabatinca cretacea sp. nov. and Sabatinca limula sp. nov. are described from the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber (99 Ma). Based on exquisitely preserved specimens with clear morphological characters and detailed structure of scales, the diagnosis of Sabatinca perveta is emended. Our new findings support that scales have developed various types and shapes by the Cretaceous. The extinct Sabatinca species represent a separate group that may be a transitional group from Australian lineage to extant Sabatinca.     

The first record of Cretaceous ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Oodini) from Burmese amber

The first fossil Carabidae from Burmese amber is described as new to science, Oodes kachinensis Liu n. sp., based on a single individual preserved in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar. This species is placed in the extant tribe Oodini as supported by several characters: one supraorbital seta at each side of vertex, interval 9 very narrow, stria 8 very deep, epipleuron plica presented, antennomeres 1–3 glabrous and 4–11 densely pubescent. This new species has surprising long legs, indicating most probably it was living on the bank of puddle.