Notoatherix Oberprieler & Yeates

Oberprieler, Stefanie K. & Yeates, David K., 2014, Notoatherix antiqua gen. et sp. nov., first fossil water snipe fly from the Late Jurassic of Australia (Diptera: Athericidae), Zootaxa 3866 (1), pp. 138-144 : 139-141

Genus Notoatherix Oberprieler & Yeates gen. nov.

( Figs 1 & 2)

Type species. Notoatherix antiqua Oberprieler & Yeates , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Only a single wing blade is preserved, with the anterior base obscured. R1 and R2+3 relatively straight, R2+3 meeting R1 at costa. R4+5 proximally straight, then weakly curved upwards posteriorly, meeting costa of wing just before apex. Crossvein r-m almost in middle of cell d, but tending slightly towards its basal end. Vein M1 sinuous at base, remainder almost straight, meeting wing margin just behind wing apex. M2 relatively straight, meeting wing margin. Crossvein m-m closing cell d at level of origin of M1.

Species included. Type species only.

Remarks. Venational features characteristic of the Athericidae were defined by Stuckenberg (1973). The diagnostic feature of the family, the close terminal convergence of veins R1 and R2+3, occurs in Notoatherix. In addition, crossvein r-m meets the discal cell further from its basal end, another feature to distinguish rhagionids and athericids used by Stuckenberg (1973). Two other features of many athericids, veins R4 and R5 diverging at a far smaller angle than in rhagionids and tabanids, and R4 ending before the tip of the wing ( Stuckenberg 1973), do not occur in Notoatherix because R4 and R5 are fused throughout their length. Mostovski et al. (2003) reported that the conformation of R4 and R5 is more variable in the fossil record of the three families than in extant forms. Notoatherix dates to an age when these three families are believed to have diverged ( Wiegmann et al. 2011) and could possess a venation different from that of the current Athericidae crown group.

FIGURE 2. Line drawing of wing of venation of Notoatherix antiqua gen. et sp. nov., holotype; composite, from part and counterpart. Abbreviations: C = costa; Sc = subcosta; R = radius; R2+3 = anterior branch of the radial sector; R4+5 = posterior branch of the radial sector; M1, M2 = anterior (sectoral) branches of media; M3 = posterior (sectoral) branch of media; CuA1, CuA2 = anterior branches of cubitus; A = anal vein; r-m = radial to medial cross-vein; m-m = medial to medial cross-vein; m-cu = medial to cubital cross-vein; d = discal cell; br = first basal cell; bm = second basal cell; m1-3 = first to fourth medial cells; cua1 = anterior cubital cell; cup = posterior cubital cell.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs of Notoatherix antiqua gen. et sp. nov., holotype; A — Part, B — Counterpart.