Fushuniola Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2022

Fedotova, Zoya A., Perkovsky, Evgeny E., Ross, Andrew J. & Zhang, Qingqing, 2022, A new genus and species of gall midges the tribe Winnertziini (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Porricondylinae) from lower Eocene Fushun amber from China, Palaeoentomology 5 (1), pp. 90-98 : 94-95

Genus Fushuniola Fedotova & Perkovsky , gen. nov.

Type species. Fushuniola mai Fedotova & Perkovsky , sp. nov., by present designation.

Etymology. The genus is named after Fushun amber.

Diagnosis. Head of female is broad, enlarged frontally, palpi much longer than height of head, long lingua developed, antennae 2+10-segmented, all flagellomeres with distinct very short and narrow necks, 4-8 th with short hair-shaped sensoria, vein R5 strongly curved apically, cell between veins C and R1+2 slightly sclerotized, rm+m slightly curved medially, prolonged projection R1+2 from Rs to point of fusion with C, vein Sc absence, hind femora longer than their tibia, tarsal claws simple, apical lobe of ovipositor is wide, covered by strongly prolonged setae.

Description. Female ( Fig. 1A–H , Fig. 2A–J ). Body slightly longer than wings. Head is broad, enlarged frontally; eyes fused, positioned around the head, with wide bridge, occiput wide rounded. Numerous occipital setae very long. Mouthparts much elongate and wide. Mouthparts longer than half part of the face length. Long lingua is developed. Palpi much longer than height of head, 4-segmented, the 3 rd and 4 th segments are long. Antennae 2+10-segmented, scape enlarged distally, pedicel slightly broad. Basal enlargement of 1 st and 2 nd flagellomeres slightly more prolonged than others. All flagellomeres with distinct very short and narrow necks, but basal enlargements slightly shorted from base to apex of flagellum. Basal enlargement on proximal flagellomeres with narrowing near middle and enlarged basally. Medial flagellomeres with very long setae in basal whorls and basally curved medial whorls of rare setae. Flagellomeres 4–8 th with short hair-shaped sensoria. Necks of flagellomeres always distinct but very short, especially of the middle flagellomeres. The head is located on a very long neck, which passes into a similarly narrowed part of the apical part of the prothorax. Wing evenly and very strongly widened medially. Costal vein with break is beyond joining one and R5. Cell between veins C and R1+2 slightly sclerotized. Vein rm+m slightly curved medially, R5 strongly curved apically, joining margin of wing little before the wing tip, Rs very strong; slightly curved CuA and M3+4 simple, positioned far from margin of wing, not reaching of wing edge, forms large anal lobe. Vein Rs more than 4 times longer than projection R1+2 from Rs to point of fusion with C. Legs completely densely covered by short setae and rare long setae. Fore femora shorter than tibia. Hind femora longer than their tibia. Tarsal claws simple, slightly curved. Abdomen strongly swollen basally (1 st –3 rd segments) and narrowed apically. Abdominal segments covered by very long setae. Ovipositor very long and thin, curved dorsally with 3-segmented apical plates (lateral view, Fig. 1G ; Fig. 2J ). Apical lobe of ovipositor is wide, covered by strongly prolonged setae.

Remarks. The shape of the body, 2+10-segmented female antennae, reduced wing venation with slightly curved veins CuA and M3+4, long legs and ovipositor the new genus is closely similar to modern genus Rhipidoxylomyia Mamaev, 1964 , which is found in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions, as well as in Rovno amber, comprising 18 species, 15 of which are described from the Palaearctic ( Fedotova & Sidorenko, 2007; Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2008; Gagné & Jaschhof, 2021; Nel, 2021). Previously, 6 extant species were described from China ( Jiang & Bu, 2004) trapped in Malaise. In the forest zone, the larvae of known Rhipidoxylomyia species live exclusively in decaying wood ( Mamaev & Krivosheina, 1965). Representatives of the genus have not been found in Baltic amber. Only two species are fossil. The single species from Rovno amber, Rhipidoxylomyia vaga Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2008 , was described from the Dubrovitsa deposit ( Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2008). The second fossil species R. rasnitsyni Nel, 2021 known from Oise amber ( Nel, 2021). The new genus differs from Rhipidoxylomyia in the form of head, 2+10-segmented antennae (instead 2+12-segmented as fossil species R. vaga and R. rasnitsyni ) elongated segments of mouth parts with long lingua and palpi; very large eyes; absence of narrow eye bridge; different shape of flagellomeres; very short neck of flagellomeres; presence of very rare long setae of medial whorl on basal enlargement; presence of hair-shaped sensoria of middle flagellomeres; wider and shorter wing, vein R5 terminating near of tip of the wing and smaller body size; very long ovipositor with strongly enlarged apical plates.

The similar genus Rhipidoxylomyia known from Holarctic and Oriental Region includes 16 extant species and 2 fossils ( Gagné & Jaschhof, 2021; Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2008; Nel, 2021). Larvae of the three known European species are found in decaying wood.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Fushuniola mai Fedotova & Perkovsky, gen. et sp. nov. in lower Eocene Fushun amber, female. A, General appearance with two separated fore tarsi and one hind tarsus. B, Antenna. C, Tarsomeres 3–5 of hind leg and tarsomere 5 of fore leg. D, Head. E, Flagellomeres 3–5. F, Apex of abdomen. G, Ovipositor. H, Wing. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Fushuniola mai Fedotova & Perkovsky, gen. et sp. nov. in lower Eocene Fushun amber, female.A, General appearance. B, C, tarsomeres 2–5 of fore leg. D, Tarsomeres 2–5 of hind leg. E, Tarsomeres 4–5 of hind leg. F, Flagellomeres 4–10. G, 5th flagellomere. H, Scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1–3. I, Mouthparts and palpi. J, Ovipositor. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.