Cretaconiopteryx, Liu & Lu, 2017

Liu, Xingyue & Lu, Xiumei, 2017, A remarkable new genus of Cretaceous dustywings (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) in amber from northern Myanmar, Zoological Systematics 42 (3), pp. 380-389 : 382

Cretaconiopteryx gen. nov. ( Figs 1–3 )

Type species: Cretaconiopteryx grandis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Large-sized dustywing (forewing length 6.67 mm). Antenna 27-segmented (with 25 flagellomeres); scape about twice as long as wide; flagellomere subquadrate, nearly as long as wide. Forewing relatively broad, length about 2.0× width of median part; costal space with eight subcostal veinlets on distal half; distal part of ScP curved posteriad; distal part of RA curved posteriad and connected with anteriorly curved RP, forming a loop; proximally RP +MA and MP not fused with each other; RP simple, with a ra-rp crossvein; MA simple, with a rp-ma crossvein; three or four crossveins present between RP +MA and MP; MP bifurcated; Cu branched near wing base; CuP proximally zig-zagged; two cua-cup crossveins present; three cup-a1 crossveins; A2 with a long, distally bifurcated anterior branch and a short, strongly curved posterior branch; two a1-a2 crossveins present; distal-most crossveins among longitudinal veins from RA to A2 arranged into a gradate series. Hind wing slightly narrower than forewing; costal space distally with a few subcostal veinlets; a short oblique stem of MA present near wing base; RP simple, distally slightly curved anteriad; MP and CuA separated by distinct membrane; distal-most crossveins among longitudinal veins from RA to CuA arranged into a gradate series. Abdominal plicatures present on segments 3–4.

Etymology. The generic epithet Cretaconiopteryx is a combination of Creta- (meaning Cretaceous) and Coniopteryx (a typical genus name of dustywings). The name is feminine.

Remarks. The new genus is distinguished from all other dustywing genera by the forewing RP +MA originated from R near wing base, the forewing RA and RP distally forming a loop, the proximally zig-zagged forewing CuP, the presence of 3–4 crossveins between forewing RP +MA and MP, the presence of crossveins between RP and MA and between MP 1 and MP 2, and the gradate-like arrangement of distal crossveins.

Figures

Figure 1. Cretaconiopteryx grandis gen. & sp. nov., holotype female. A. Habitus photo, dorsal view. B. Photo of forewing apex, showing loop formed by RA and RP (indicated by an arrow). C. Photo of protarsus. D. Photo of head, dorsal view. E. Terminal segments of antenna. F. Drawing of head, dorsal view.Abbreviation: gl—galea; lb—labrum; lp—labial palp; mp—maxillary palp; t— tarsomere. Scale bars:A–B, D, F=1.0mm; C=0.25mm; E=0.5mm.

Figure 2. Cretaconiopteryx grandis gen. & sp. nov., holotype female. A. Habitus photo, ventral view. B. Lateral portion of abdominal segment 3 (as located on A) showing plicature (indicated by an arrow), ventral view. C. Drawing of genitalia (arrow indicated putative element of segment 10), ventral view. Abbreviation: e—ectoproct; gx—gonocoxite; pl—plicature; T—tergum. Scale bars: A, C = 1.0mm; B=0.5mm.

Figure 3. Drawings of fore- and hindwings of Cretaconiopteryx grandis gen. & sp. nov., holotype female.A. Right fore- and hindwing; B. Left fore- and hindwing. Arrows: 1, stem of hind wing MA; 2, forewing humeral veinlet; 3, loop formed by forewing RA and RP; 4, zig-zagged proximal part of forewing CuP; 5, abrupt curve of hind wing ScP (or distal scp-ra crossvein); 6, gradate-like arrangement of distal crossveins. Scale bar =1.0mm.