Snipe flies (Diptera: Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation (Jurassic), Inner Mongolia,and the systematic position of related records in China

Abstract: Four new species referred to three new genera and one known genus of fossil snipe flies (Family Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia, north‐eastern China, are described as Daohugorhagio elongatus gen. et sp. nov., Parachrysopilus jurassicus gen. et sp. nov., Sinorhagio sinuatus sp. nov. and Trichorhagio gregarius gen. et sp. nov. These taxa represent only a fraction of the rhagionid assemblage in the Daohugou biota. They contribute towards the high diversity and abundance of snipe flies during the latest Middle Jurassic – earliest Late Jurassic. The diagnosis of Sinorhagio K. Zhang, Yang and Ren, 2006 is revised based on the new results. Many genera and species from the Lower Cretaceous of China have been assigned to Rhagionidae. Most of these do not actually belong to this family: specifically Mesorhagiophryne incerta Hong and Wang, 1990, M. robusta Hong and Wang, 1990, Mesostratiomyia laiyangensis Hong and Wang, 1990, Stratiomyopsis robusta Hong and Wang, 1990, Longhuaia orientalis Hong, Wang and Sun, 1992, Basilorhagio venusius Ren, 1995. Pauromyia oresbia Ren, 1998 is transferred to an archisargid genus as Sharasargus oresbius (Ren, 1998) comb. nov.     

Records of bizarre Jurassic brachycerans in the Daohugou biota,China (Diptera,Brachycera, Archisargidae and Rhagionemestriidae)

Abstract: Four new Brachycera fossils were collected from the Daohugou biota, China. Among these, two impressions demonstrating peculiar wing venation can be designated as two new species of a new genus (Mostovskisargus portentosus gen. et sp. nov. and M. signatus sp. nov.) referred to a new subfamily Mostovskisarginae (subfam. nov.) within Archisargidae. The third impression belongs to a new species (Calosargus (Pterosargus) sinicus sp. nov.) referred to the subgenus Pterosargus Mostovski, 1997 of Calosargus Mostovski, 1997 within Archisarginae, Archisargidae. It is only the second member of the subgenus Pterosargus worldwide. The fourth impression is a nearly complete fly, Jurassinemestrinus orientalis gen. et sp. nov. referable to Rhagionemestriidae. It reveals new morphological data about rhagionemestriids and extends the geographical distribution of this group beyond Europe and Central Asia during the Mesozoic. A correlation for the archisargid composition of taxa in Daohugou and Karabastau formations is discussed. The age of the fly‐bearing strata is briefly reassessed and can be more accurately limited to the Callovian–Oxfordian based on both biostratigraphical correlation and radiometric dating.     

New taxa of snipe flies (Diptera: Brachycera: Rhagionidae) in the Daohugou Biota,China

Three impressions of snipe flies from the uppermost Middle Jurassic or lowermost Upper Jurassic Daohugou Formation in northeastern China are described as Protorhagio parvus sp. nov. and Lithorhagio megalocephalus get. et sp. nov. Protorhagio parvus is the first record of the genus Protorhagio Rohdendorf, 1938 outside the Karatau-Mikhailovka locality (Kazakhstan), which has implications for biostratigraphic correlation of the formations, in which they are found. The taxonomic position of Lithorhagio gen. nov. is discussed. Although Orsobrachyceron Ren, 1998 demonstrates some resemblance in form to the new genus, it probably belongs to Xylomyidae rather than Rhagionidae.     

New species of Palaeobolbomyia Kovalev and Ussatchovia Kovalev (Diptera, Brachycera, Rhagionidae) from the Callovian-Oxfordian (Jurassic) Daohugou biota of China: Biostratigraphic and paleoecologic implications

Three new species of fossil snipe flies (Insecta, Diptera, Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Nei Monggol Autonomous Region (= Inner Mongolia), northeastern China are described as Palaeobolbomyia sinica nov. sp., Ussatchovia robusta nov. sp. and Ussatchovia gracilenta nov. sp. They represent the first records of the genera Palaeobolbomyia Kovalev and Ussatchovia Kovalev in China and have implications for stratigraphic correlation of the formations in which they are found. Although the precise age of the Daohugou Formation is currently unresolved, it is most likely Callovian-Oxfordian (latest Middle Jurassic-earliest Late Jurassic) rather than early Middle Jurassic (late Aalenian-early Bajocian) or Early Cretaceous.     

Two new species of Palaeoarthroteles Kovalev and Mostovski (Diptera, Rhagionidae) from the Callovian-Oxfordian (Jurassic) Daohugou biota of China

Two new species of fossil snipe flies (Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (northeastern China) are described as Palaeoarthroteles jurassicus nov. sp. and P. pallidius nov. sp. They are the first record of the genus Palaeoarthroteles Kovalev and Mostovski beyond Siberia, which have implications for stratigraphic correlation of the formations in which they are found.     

A new genus of Elateriform beetles (Coleoptera,Polyphaga) from the Jurassic of Daohugou,China

A new coleopteran genus, Parelateriformius, gen. nov., comprising the species P. communis, sp. nov., P. villosus, sp. nov., P. capitifossus, sp. nov., and P. mirabdominis, sp. nov., is described from Daohugou deposits, Inner Mongolia, China, and is assigned to the infraorder Elateriformia. The systematic position of the new genus within the suborder Polyphaga is discussed.     

A new genus of the family Panfiloviidae (Insecta,Neuroptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Abstract: Epipanfilovia oviformis gen. et sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Panfiloviidae) is described from the Middle Jurassic locality of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) based on six specimens. A revised diagnosis of this family is provided. It includes two genera, Panfilovia Makarkin and Epipanfilovia gen. nov.; Osmylogramma Ponomarenko is removed from the family. Panfiloviidae is most closely related to another Jurassic family Grammolingiidae, and both are provisionally assigned to the superfamily Osmyloidea.     

Revision and description of water boatmen from the Middle-Upper Jurassic of Northern and Northeastern China (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixidae)

Four adult and immature water boatmen from the Middle Jurassic and uppermost Middle Jurassic or lowermost Upper Jurassic Jiulongshan, Haifanggou and Daohugou formations in the northern and northeastern China are described as Yanliaocorixa chinensis (Lin, 1976), Jiulongshanocorixa genuina gen. et sp. nov., and Daohugocorixa vulcanica gen. et sp. nov., referred to the extinct subfamily Velocorixinae, and Karataviella popovi sp. nov., referred to the extant subfamily Diaprepocorinae. All the forms have previously been identified as one species, Yanliaocorixa chinensis. This species, found only in the Haifanggou Formation, is absent from the Jiulongshan Formation and other sites in China. The systematic position of corixids recorded earlier from the Mesozoic of China is reviewed and reassessed. Assemblages of dominant aquatic insects from various Jurassic nonmarine sedimentary basins in northern and northeastern China are described for the first time. They are entirely different between the Jiulongshan, Haifanggou, and Daohugou formations. The first formation is probably older than the other two.     

Pronemouridae fam. nov. (Insecta: Plecoptera), the stem group of nemouridae and notonemouridae,from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China

Abstract: A new family, Pronemouridae fam. nov., with a new genus, Pronemoura gen. nov., and five new species of fossil stoneflies are described from Daohugou village (Middle Jurassic), Inner Mongolia, China: P. shii sp. nov., P. angustithorax sp. nov., P. longialata sp. nov., P. minuta sp. nov. and P. peculiaris sp. nov. Wing venation of pronemourinids presents some or considerable variety in the fore and hind wings of the same or different individuals. Pronemourinidae, retaining plesiomorphic characters (short, multisegmented cerci and CuA with forks), should be treated as the stem group of Nemouridae and Notonemouridae. Based on fossil data, we propose a model in which the extant plecopterid distribution began in the Early Cretaceous. Nemouridae and Notonemouridae must have occurred in Asia and begun to migrate from here by at least the Early Cretaceous.     

Mesozoic Trachypachidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) from China

Abstract: Four well‐preserved beetles, attributed to Eodromeinae within Trachypachidae, are described from the Mesozoic of Inner Mongolia, China. Eodromeus robustus sp. nov., E. daohugouensis sp. nov. and Unda chifengensis sp. nov. are from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou. The diagnostic characters for the two genera are revised, and all species of these genera are keyed. A new genus and species, Sinodromeus liutiaogouensis gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liutiaogou. The current fossil records of Trachypachidae from China are reviewed, and only five species (four described here) can be convincingly attributed to this family. The morphological disparity of Mesozoic Eodromeinae suggests that they evolved a broad spectrum of locomotory lifestyles.     

A revision of the Jurassic Stonefly Genera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dobbertiniopteryx</Emphasis> Ansorge and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Karanemoura</Emphasis> Sinitshenkova (Insecta: Plecoptera), with the description of new species from the Daohugou locality,China

The stonefly genera Dobbertiniopteryx Ansorge and Karanemoura Sinitshenkova are revised. Based on new material from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, China, two new species, D. juracapnia sp. nov. and K. manca sp. nov., are described and Karanemoura abrupta Sinitshenkova, 1987 is redescribed. K. desiliens Sinitshenkova, 1987 is excluded from Karanemoura; its position within the family Perlariopseidae remains uncertain. The placement of Dobbertiniopteryx in the modern family Capniidae is confirmed. The perfect state of preservation of the nearly complete adult stonefly remains from China made it possible to improve and extend the diagnoses of the Perlariopseidae and Dobbertiniopteryx. The geological background of the Daohugou deposits is briefly discussed.     

New damsel-dragonflies with “calopterygid”-like wing shape from the Middle Jurassic of China (Odonata: Isophlebioidea: Campterophlebiidae)

The new damsel-dragonflies Zygokaratawia incompleta nov. sp. and Parazygokaratawia azari nov. gen., nov. sp., closely related to the campterophlebiid genus Zygokaratawia, are described from the Middle Jurassic locality of the Daohugou and Chentaizi villages, respectively (Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, NE China). Parazygokaratawia nov. gen. and Zygokaratawia share a narrowly reduced cubito-anal area, unique synapomorphy in the Isophlebioptera. Campterophlebiids with this character are only known from the Daohugou biota.     

Six new species of the genus Dicranosepsis Duda (Diptera, Sepsidae) from Vietnam, with a revised key to the species

The flies of the genus Dicranosepsis from Vietnam were investigated and classified taxonomically. Six new species (D. longa sp. nov., D. kurahashii sp. nov., D. monoseta sp. nov., D. sinuosa sp. nov., D. barbata sp. nov., and D. vietnamensis sp. nov.) are described and illustrated. Dicranosepsis is redefined and a revised key to the species is also provided.     

The first find of chrysomelids (Insecta: Coleopetra: Chrysomeloidea) from Callovian-Oxfordian Daohugou biota of China

Tarsomegamerus mesozoicus nov. gen., nov. sp., an almost complete specimen of leaf beetle from the Callovian-Oxfordian of Daohugou Formation in Inner Mongolia, China is described. Tarsomegamerus mesozoicus is assigned to the Protoscelinae (Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera). This new leaf beetle represents the first record of chrysomeloids from Mesozoic of China and it extends the geographical distribution of Protoscelinae from central Asia into eastern Asia. This find provides new fossil material for studying the origin and evolution of Chrysomeloidea and by making a stratigraphic correlation of the correlative non-marine sedimentary rocks. Although the age of the Daohugou Formation is debatable it is most likely Callovian-Oxfordian (latest Middle Jurassic-earliest Late Jurassic) rather than early Middle Jurassic (late Aalenian-early Bajocian) or Early Cretaceous.     

New Jurassic Cercopoidea from China and their evolutionary significance (Insecta: Hemiptera)

Abstract: A new family, Sinoalidae Wang and Szwedo fam. nov., is described from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Biota (Inner Mongolia, China). Two new genera with three new species (Sinoala parallelivena Wang and Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Jiania crebra Wang and Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., and Jiania gracila Wang and Szwedo sp. nov.) are erected based on well‐preserved whole‐bodied specimens. The morphological characters of Procercopidae and the new family are given, and a key to the species of Sinoalidae is presented. The genera Luanpingia Hong, 1983 and Huabeicercopis Hong, 1983 are revised and attributed to Sinoalidae. The genera Mesocercopis Hong, 1983 and Sinotettegarcta Hong, 1986 are considered junior synonyms of Anthoscytina Hong, 1983. Taxa assigned to Sinoalidae fam. nov. cannot be attributed to any previously known family, but share some general (plesiomorphic) characters with ancient Clypeata, for example, postclypeus distinctly swollen, transversely wrinkled, antenna with a flagellum of a few elongate segments, frons with median ocellus and lateral ocelli on crown. Moreover, the new family is closely related to Procercopidae (Cercopoidea) based on a pronotum with a median incision at the hind margin; tegmen slender, partly punctuate, basal portion of Sc not exceeding apex of basal cell, and hind legs with lateral spines. It has a mixture of ancestral characters shared with Hylicelloidea and Jurassic Procercopidae and some derived characters. Therefore, it is tentatively placed in Cercopoidea. A preliminary phylogram of Clypeata is presented based on the combination of fossil and morphological data.     

A Remarkable New Family of Jurassic Insects (Neuroptera) with Primitive Wing Venation and Its Phylogenetic Position in Neuropterida

Background

Lacewings (insect order Neuroptera), known in the fossil record since the Early Permian, were most diverse in the Mesozoic. A dramatic variety of forms ranged in that time from large butterfly-like Kalligrammatidae to minute two-winged Dipteromantispidae.

Principal Findings

We describe the intriguing new neuropteran family Parakseneuridae fam. nov. with three new genera and 15 new species from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) and the Early/Middle Jurassic of Sai-Sagul (Kyrgyzstan): Parakseneura undula gen. et sp. nov., P. albomacula gen. et sp. nov., P. curvivenis gen. et sp. nov., P. nigromacula gen. et sp. nov., P. nigrolinea gen. et sp. nov., P. albadelta gen. et sp. nov., P. cavomaculata gen. et sp. nov., P. inflata gen. et sp. nov., P. metallica gen. et sp. nov., P. emarginata gen. et sp. nov., P. directa gen. et sp. nov., Pseudorapisma jurassicum gen. et sp. nov., P. angustipenne gen. et sp. nov., P. maculatum gen. et sp. nov. (Daohugou); Shuraboneura ovata gen. et sp. nov. (Sai-Sagul). The family comprises large neuropterans with most primitive wing venation in the order indicated by the presence of ScA and AA1+2, and the dichotomous branching of MP, CuA, CuP, AA3+4, AP1+2. The phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae was investigated using a phylogenetic analysis of morphological scoring for 33 families of extinct and extant Neuropterida combined with DNA sequence data for representatives of all extant families. Parakseneuridae were recovered in a clade with Osmylopsychopidae, Prohemerobiidae, and Ithonidae.

Conclusions/Significance

The presence of the presumed AA1+2 in wings of Parakseneuridae is a unique plesiomorphic condition hitherto unknown in Neuropterida, the clade comprising Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera. The relative uncertainty of phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae and the majority of other families of Neuroptera reflects deficient paleontological data, especially from critical important periods for the order, earliest Triassic and latest Triassic/earliest Jurassic.     

Jurassic lacewings (Insecta: Neuroptera) of Western Siberia

A lacewing assemblage from the Middle Jurassic of the West Siberian Kubekovo locality, the only know Jurassic lacewing fauna of Russia, is discussed. One new genus and two new species of Osmylidae from Kubekovo, Kubekius multiramosus gen. et sp. nov. and Epiosmylus longus sp. nov. are described. Thaumatomerobius mirabilis Ponomarenko, 1985 is transferred to the family Saucrosmylidae, which has only been recorded in the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou.     

侏罗纪道虎沟生物群瘦魔蜂属(Leptephialtites Rasnitsyn,1975)一新种(昆虫纲:膜翅目:魔蜂科)（英文）

瘦魔蜂属(Leptephialtites Rasnitsyn,1975)是哈萨克斯坦晚侏罗世卡拉套生物群中魔蜂科魔蜂亚科的一个分异度比较高的类群,也曾报道于我国内蒙古宁城地区中-晚侏罗世道虎沟生物群,但没有描述和图示。本文对产自宁城道虎沟村中-上侏罗统道虎沟化石层的一块雌蜂标本进行了描述,将其归入瘦魔蜂属并建立了一新种:张氏瘦魔蜂(Leptephialtites zhangi Ding and Zhang,sp.nov.)。该新种区别于卡拉套生物群中瘦魔蜂属的所有种:前翅1-Rs脉长为其与翅痣基部距离之半(后者1-Rs脉不长于其与翅痣基部的距离),横脉1r-rs完整(后者1r-rs残存或完全消失);腹部纺锤状,最宽处在其中部(后者腹部最宽处位于其端半部)。本文还提供了瘦魔蜂属所有已知种的检索表。另外,瘦魔蜂属仅存在于卡拉套生物群和道虎沟生物群,证实了这两个生物群具有密切的关系。     

An evolutional special case in the lower Orthorrhapha: some attractive fossil flies from the Middle Jurassic of China (Insecta: Diptera: Brachycera)

More than ten extinct Lower Brachycera families have been discovered throughout the world. These fossil records are of great significance in piecing together jigsaw puzzles of evolution for the Order Diptera. However, the distinct systematic relationships of the Diptera, one of the four largest orders, remain obscure. Herein, we erect a new family to enhance our systematic understanding of the Diptera. The Uranorhagionidae fam. nov. is a bewildering new extinct family comprising two new genera, Uranorhagio gen. nov. and Strenorhagio gen. nov. , and five new species, Uranorhagio daohugouensis sp. nov. , Strenorhagio deviatus sp. nov. , Strenorhagio grimaldi sp. nov. , Strenorhagio asymmetricus sp. nov. , and Strenorhagio conjugovenius sp. nov. , from the Middle Jurassic of China. Members of the new family are moderate to large in size and robust in shape. This family possesses a peculiar shape of vein R₂₊₃, the basal part of which is strongly fornical and nearly geniculate, and has the crossvein r–m at variable position. Furthermore, the Uranorhagionidae fam. nov. exhibits a mixture of distinct characters of two families in two disparate superfamilies, i.e. Rhagionemestriidae (Nemestrinoidea) and Rhagionidae (Tabanoidea), thus suggesting that this family might be in an inclusive position in dipteran phylogeny. We tentatively place this new family as a member of Tabanoidea, pending the discovery of more fossil specimens and further study. The comparison between the new family and other relative families will be discussed. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 158 , 563–572.     

Deep-sea Bodotriidae (Crustacea: Cumacea) from New Caledonia, Fiji and Indonesia

Cumaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) belonging to the family Bodotriidae collected between 206 and 3680 m depth, during the French campaigns BIOCAL and BIOGEOCAL in waters of New Caledonia, KARUBAR in Indonesia and BORDAU 1 around Fiji were studied. The 93 specimens belonging to this family were assigned to 11 species, ten of them new to science, namely Cyclaspis variosculpta sp. nov., Cyclaspis richeri sp. nov., Cyclaspis dictyota sp. nov., Cyclaspis decora sp. nov., Cyclaspis magna sp. nov., Cyclaspoides erugatus sp. nov., Alticuma? ectyphum sp. nov., Apocuma pacificum sp. nov., Hypocuma fragosum sp. nov. and Bathycuma coremium sp. nov. The genera Cyclaspoides and Hypocuma are recorded for the first time from the Pacific Ocean. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 152 , 227–254.