Qiang Yang

Two new genera and three new species of webspinners, Electroclothoda aroliata gen. et sp. nov., Cretembia longimandibula gen. et sp. nov. and Parasorellembia grandiocula sp. nov., are described from the Upper Cretaceous of Myanmar amber. Electroclothoda aroliata gen. et sp. nov. is classified in the Clothodidae by having symmetrical male terminalia and an undivided tenth abdominal tergum. Cretembia longimandibula gen. et sp. nov. and Parasorellembia grandiocula sp. nov. are attributed to the Scelembiidae based on their distinctive terminalia: asymmetrical male terminalia, slender left cercus and robust, hook-shaped right cercus. Furthermore, a more detailed interpretation of terminalia architecture in Scelembiidae is provided.

A new species of rhagionid fly, Chrysopilus perseverans sp. nov., is described from middle Eocene Baltic amber. Based on the key provided by Kerr (2010), the new species can be attributed to the genus Chrysopilus Macquart, 1826 due to the following diagnostic characters: antennae with a long terminal arista, dense microsetae on arista, holoptic male eyes, setose anepisternum and laterotergite, and macrosetae on forefemur. A checklist of named species of fossil rhagionids is provided.

Three new species of Mesypochrysa Martynov, 1927: Mesypochrysa paucinervis sp. nov., Mesypochrysa angusta sp. nov. and Mesypochrysa paradoxica sp. nov., are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The three species are assigned to Mesypochrysa based on the following characters: costal crossveins simple; two gradate series of crossveins present; MA and MP distally bifurcated; CuA with three to five pectinate branches; CuP distally bifurcated. Mesypochrysa paucinervis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of Mesypochrysa by nine RP branches and simple A1. Mesypochrysa angusta sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by 16 RP branches and five CuA branches. Mesypochrysa paradoxica sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by the distal position of 2m-cu. In addition, the position of 2m-cu in forewings of Limaiinae and distinguish characters of Mesypochrysa are discussed. The discovery of new fossil species enriches the species diversity of this taxon in the Jurassic, while also providing new evidence for the early evolution of chrysopids.

The form and change of animal biogeography reflects the long-term interplay between organisms and their environment, involving physiological limitation, dispersal capability, and adaptive evolution versus plate tectonics, global climatic shifts, and changing landscapes. This is especially manifest for lineages with extended geological histories, which, therefore, evokes questions as to the associated processes producing such patterns. Insects, as the earliest flying animals, have exceptional abilities for expanding their range and habitats and to avoid detrimental conditions. They are ideal for exploring historical biogeography augmented via adaptation. Here, we employ beaded lacewings as a model to explore such patterns and likely processes, particularly given that they differ notably from the commonly observed pattern of a latitudinal diversity gradient. Furthermore, owing to their good fossil record it can be observed that their distributions varied remarkably through time. Ecological niche modeling and evaluation demonstrate their niche variation and niche breadth expansion intermittently accompanying global climate change. However, different niche relevant variables changed under patterns of either phylogenetic conservatism or evolutionary lability. By assessing wing morphological disparity and modeling flight aerodynamics, we uncovered a continuous improvement of flight efficiency through beaded-lacewing history as well as a Paleogene divergence in strategy, which reveals a long-term associated path with the niche variation. Our results unveil the adaptive evolution and dispersal history of beaded lacewings through 170 My, achieved by dynamic strategies in niche shift and flight adaptation as responses to a changing planet.

A new species Electrocoenagrion rarissimum sp. nov. of Burmacoenagrionidae is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. It is assigned to this family by having its typical characteristics: 12–19 postnodal crossveins present; Pt 3–5 short cells long; pterostigmal part of RA and stigmal crossveins thickened to form U-shaped structure; RP1 with weak angle below Pt-brace. Electrocoenagrion rarissimum sp. nov. differs from the other two species of this genus by RP2 originating seven cells distad of Sn, 19–20 postnodal crossveins present basad of Pt in forewing, midfork distinctly distad of N and Arc distad of Ax2. A revised diagnosis of Electrocoenagrion is provided, with a detail description of head and wing base structure.

One new genus (Ocrognethoda gen. nov.) and three new species of webspinners (Ocrognethoda olivea gen. et sp. nov., Gnethoda lata sp. nov. and Parasorellembia hamata sp. nov.) are described from the Upper Cretaceous of Myanmar amber. Ocrognethoda olivea gen. et sp. nov. and Gnethoda lata sp. nov. are attributed to the family Clothodidae due to their simplified and symmetrical male terminalia, in which the tenth tergum is undivided. Parasorellembia hamata sp. nov. is classified in the family Scelembiidae by a specialized abdominal apex: fused cerci, a broad right hemitergite of the tenth abdominal tergite, and ocelli presence. Moreover, based on the discovery of new genus and species, the male terminalia of Clothodidae and Sorellembiinae are briefly discussed.

Two new genera and two new species of kalligrammatids, Electrogramma transformatum gen. et sp. nov. and Lasiogramma ooideum gen. et sp. nov., are described from the Late Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Electrogramma gen. nov. differs from other genera by its relatively large wing size; with a set of interlinked veinlets between costal crossveins, multiple rows of cells in base of CuP and AA; CuA distal forked while CuP pectinately branched near wing base in hind wing. And Lasiogramma gen. nov. is distinguished from other genera by its forewing RP1‒RP3 originating independently from R; costal crossveins absent; RP1 simple; nygma and eye-spot absent. A list of named kalligrammatids is also provided.

A new genus and species of true dragonfly Hongtaous caii gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. It is assigned to the family Aktasiidae based on the following: large and broad wings; narrow postnodal area with many cells distal of elongated pterostigma; very long and straight IR1; and widened area between RP1 and RP2, which is the oldest member of this family to date. Hongtaous caii sp. nov. differs from other genera by the configuration of wing venation such as: two rows of cells between RA and RP1 at level of Pt, and extending to the end of the wing; an elongated IR1, not distally vanishing; discoidal triangle and subdiscoidal triangle divided into multiple cells by transverse veins; presence of Rspl. In addition, its special cerci are simply discussed.

In recent years, as more and more fossil species of berothids from Myanmar have been reported, the species and morphological diversity of Berothidae continues to increase. Herein, one new species of Berothidae, Aggregataberotha paucipunctata sp. nov., and one new genus, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., with three new species (Sejunctaberotha sphaerica gen. et sp. nov., Sejunctaberotha tenuis gen. et sp. nov. and Sejunctaberotha transversa gen. et sp. nov.) are described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. A. paucipunctata sp. nov. is assigned to Aggregataberotha Wang, Huang & Wang, 2022, based on the characteristics of the similar female terminalia and wing venation, but can be different from A. punctate regarding the pale pterostigma and a few detailed features of wing venation. Additionally, representatives of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. are remarkably different from the representatives of the other genera within Berothidae in the configuration of wing venation. For example, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. has simple subcostal veinlets, obviously free Sc and RA at the apex present both in fore- and hindwings, a single ra-rp crossvein connecting the RA with RP3, a single rp-m crossvein locating before the origin of the MP, a simple CuP and no gradate veins. Interestingly, in one of the specimens of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., a pair of spherical bulges was found at the end of the antennae. The new genus Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. suggests that Berothidae had a higher potential diversification during the Mesozoic Era.

A new genus and two new species, Tholimantispa zuoae gen. et sp. nov. and Mantispidipterella curvis sp. nov. are described from the Upper Cretaceous of northern Myanmar amber collected in 2015. Tholimantispa zuoae gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by its distinct pterostigma, broad costal space, bifurcate humeral veinlets, and so forth, and Mantispidipterella curvis sp. nov. is different from Mantispidipterella longissima Liu, Lu et Zhang, 2017 in its ScP (subcosta posterior) distinctly curved at fusing point with RA (radius anterior), RP (radius posterior) abruptly and angularly curved at ra‐rp (crossvein between RA and RP), AA3 (third branches of the anterior anal vein) present. The new fossil species enrich the diversity of Dipteromantispidae in the Cretaceous.