Caradiophyodus, Poinar & Vega, 2023

Poinar, George & Vega, Fernando E., 2023, Caradiophyodidae, a New Family of Micro-Wasps (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea) Based on the Description of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. et sp. nov. in Mid-Cretaceous Burmese Amber, Life (Basel, Switzerland) 13 (8), pp. 1-13 : 2

Genus: Caradiophyodus gen. nov. ( Figures 1–13 ).

Diagnosis: for the only included species.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:418316E5-1BC0-4169-9582-4A2107F78B48 (accessed on 24 July 2023).

Etymology: “Cara” is from the Greek “Kara” = head, and “diaphyodus” is from the Greek “diaphye” = cleft or break, in regard to the cleft in the head of the fossil.

Figures

Figure 1. Lateral dorsal view of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 290 µm.

Figure 2. Lateral view of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. C = cleft in head; F = flange on pedicel; B = expanded structures attached to antennae. Scale bar = 324 µm.

Figure 3. Lateral view of metasoma (MT) and mesosoma (MS) of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 150 µm.

Figure 4. Head, antennae, and head cleft (between arrows) of holotype of Caradiophyodus. saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 130 µm.

Figure 5. Head showing horseshoe sclerite (H); fusiform first flagellomere (F); pedicel (P); scape (S); subocular sclerites (Sb); and area of cleft (area within the white box) of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 97 µm.

Figure 6. Forewing (FW) and hind wing (HW) of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 140 µm.

Figure 7. Metatibial spurs of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 40 µm.

Figure 8. Foreleg pretarsus of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 12 µm.

Figure 9. Terminalia of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber showing tip of ovipositor flanked by paired ovipositor sheaths (between arrows). Scale bar = 34 µm.

Figure 10. Lateral abdominal sclerites showing a possible coiled ovipositor (arrow) of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 14 µm. Insert shows structure with possible developing eggs. Scale bar = 4.1 µm.

Figure 11. Expanded structures attached to the antennae of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. (A) Structures on left and right antennae. Scale bar = 180 µm. (B) Opposite side of structure on left antenna. Scale bar = 120 µm. (C) Opposite side of structure on right antenna. Scale bar = 100 µm.

Figure 12. Basic features presented in stylized drawings of holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber. (A) Head. C = cleft; E = eye; H = horseshoe sclerite; P = pedicel; S = scape; SS = subocular sclerite. (B) Forewing venation. M = marginal vein; Me = nebulous medial vein; P = pterostigma; Pm = limit of postmarginal vein; Rs = Rs vein; S = stigmal vein; Sm = nebulous submarginal vein. Figures not drawn to scale.

Figure 13. A reconstruction of the holotype of Caradiophyodus saradae gen. and sp. nov. in Burmese amber showing basic features. Scale bar = 0.3 mm.