Cratocorydalopsis brasiliensis

Jepson, James E. & Heads, Sam W., 2016, Fossil Megaloptera (Insecta: Neuropterida) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil, Zootaxa 4098 (1), pp. 134-144 : 138-139

Cratocorydalopsis brasiliensis gen. et sp. nov.

Figure 1

2007 Megaloptera gen. et sp. nov.: Martins-Neto et al. p 331, 339, fig. 11.69 b.

Etymology. After Brazil, the location of the Crato Formation.

Type material. SMNS 66000-247, almost complete insect preserved in ventral view, from the Crato Formation, Brazil, Lower Cretaceous, Aptian.

Diagnosis. As for genus.

Description. Forewing: length 25 mm, width 8.2 mm. C complete, 11 simple subcostal veinlets preserved. Costal area narrows towards wing apex. Sc and R1 fused distally. Rs origin not preserved; four rs-r1 crossveins preserved. Rs four branched, Rs1 poorly preserved termination not observed. MA incomplete, origin and termination not preserved. MP deeply forked, termination of both branches not preserved. Cu poorly preserved. CuA forked at mid-length of vein. CuP very partially preserved. Anal veins not preserved.

Hind wing: Broad, basally widened; length 23.5 mm, width 8.3 mm. C complete, costal area narrow throughout length, 12 simple subcostal veinlets preserved. Sc fusing with R1 distally. Rs origin preserved, three rs-r1 crossveins preserved. Rs with four branches. Four crossveins preserved within radial sector. Three rs1-ma crossveins preserved. Crossveins in radial sector and MA forming two gradate series. Free branch of MA long, forming long narrow cell between it and R. MA forking distally. MP deeply forked, MP1 forked distally, MP2 simple. Two ma-mp1, one mp1-mp2 crossveins preserved. Cu deeply forked into CuA and CuP, CuA forked at mid-length of vein, CuP simple. Two mp-cua crossveins preserved. Long sinuous cua-cup crossvein. Anal veins not preserved.

Body preserved ventral surface up. Head 4.4 mm long, 5.6 mm wide. Eyes, large 2 mm long, 1 mm wide. Antennae filiform, partially preserved, four flagellomeres on left, eight flagellomeres on right. Mouthparts partially preserved; clypeus, labrum and maxillary palp present. Prothorax 3 mm long, 4 mm wide (at widest point) tapering slightly toward metathorax. Mesothorax 2 mm long, 5.4 mm wide, metathorax 2.2 mm long, 5.4 mm wide. Legs poorly preserved, most fragmentary, right mesothoarcic leg 6 mm long, tibia partially preserved, no tibial spur, tarsus with 4th tarsal segment simple. Abdomen poorly preserved, 9.2 mm long, structures difficult to ascertain.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Photograph of Cratocorydalopsis brasiliensis gen. et sp. nov. B. Labelled drawing of body. C. Labelled drawing of forewing venation (top) and hind wing venation (bottom). All scale bars = 5 mm.