Tabanipriscus, Grimaldi, 2016

Grimaldi, David A., 2016, Diverse Orthorrhaphan Flies (Insecta: Diptera: Brachycera) In Amber From The Cretaceous Of Myanmar: Brachycera In Cretaceous Amber, Part Vii David A. Grimaldi, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2016 (408), pp. 1-132 : 43

Tabanipriscus , new genus

DIAGNOSIS: Wing broad in middle (W/L = 0.41), significantly tapered apicad; anterior edge not straight, slightly convex; basicosta deeply incised, base of C thick; fork of R 4+5 long, base diverging near level of cell d apex (vs. significantly distad); face with pair of small, rugose callosities; antenna with at least 7 (probably 8) free flagellomeres, tapered apicad; cerci 2-segmented.

TYPE SPECIES: Tabanipriscus transitivus , new species.

ETYMOLOGY: Taken from the root and type genus name for Tabanidae (Tabanus) , and priscus (Latin, “first”), in reference to the plesiomorphic nature of this genus. The gender of the name is masculine.

COMMENTS: This is not a species of Tabanidae as currently defined for modern and Tertiary species. It is possible that Tabanipriscus is actually a stem group to Athericidae + Tabanidae . Features of the fossil that are plesiomorphic for Tabanidae include: anterior edge of wing not straight, slightly convex; preserved portion of R 4 only very slightly sinuous; R 4 -R 5 fork not widely divergent (though still apparently encompassing tip of wing), fork longer than in any living Tabanidae , 2 cercomeres. Placement in/near Tabanidae is based on the deeply incised basicosta, very thick base of C, head shape, a pair of facial callosities, mouthpart structure; the broad, dorsoventrally flattened abdomen, and the lack of a peg/knob on the anterior surface of the hind coxa (which all tabanids lack, but which athericids, some pelecorhynchids, and Oreoleptis possess). Pleural metathoracic area of the unique specimen is unfortunately not visible.