A Cretaceous mite with ultra-long setae possibly reveals the early survival strategy of Chyzeriidae

Snakefly (Raphidioptera) larvae are newly documented from the Early Cretaceous ambers of Lebanon, Myanmar (Burma), and France. Previously only two Cretaceous larvae had been documented, one in Late Cretaceous (Turonian) amber from New Jersey and another in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Myanmar. The specimens discussed herein are likely representative of the extinct family Mesoraphidiidae, but definitive familial assignment is currently not possible. The new fossil material is described and placed into context with the known larval morphology of modern and fossil species, as well as with the geological history of the order as documented by the remains of adults.

Frullania pinnata spec. nov. (Frullaniaceae, Porellales), a new leafy liverwort in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber from Myanmar

New genus of fossil apoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

The female of a new fossil genus and species, Rhombometridium pankowskiorum gen. and sp. nov. (Acari: Trochometridiidae), is described from Cretaceous Kachin amber. The new genus is characterized by the presence of well-developed sporothecae anteriad legs III, each sporotheca containing several ovoid fungal spores. This is the oldest (ca. 100 Mya), evidence of symbiosis between mites and fungi and the first fossil record of the mite family Trochometridiidae. The new genus shares synapomorphies with the family Trochometridiidae (presence of sporothecae between bases of legs III and IV) and Caraboacaridae (rhombic body shape, absence of setae v2, absence of palpal solenidion, palps fused with distinctly widened gnathosomal capsule), and potentially represents a transitional form or a missing link between these two closely related families. We also compare the sporothecae of R. pankowskiorum with those of other heterostigmatic mites.

Lebanoraphidia nana gen. et sp.n. is described from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon and represents the smallest known Raphidioptera. The new taxon is quite similar in its minute size, large compound eyes and wing venation to Nanoraphidia electroburmica (Mesoraphidiidae) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Myanmar, as well as to 'Mesoraphidia' luzzii from the Upper Cretaceous amber of New Jersey, and Cantabroraphidia marcanoi from the Lower Cretaceous El Soplao amber of Spain. For the species 'Mesoraphidia' luzzii a new genus, Grimaldiraphidia, is erected, because it would otherwise render the genus Mesoraphidia paraphyletic. 'Mesoraphidia' durlstonenesis, 'M.' gaoi, 'M.' heteroneura, 'M.' mitchelli, 'M.' parvula and 'M.' purbeckensis are also transferred to this new genus Grimaldiraphidia. Four Cretaceous amber genera comprise minute specimens and represent a distinct clade within Mesoraphidiidae, for which a new tribe, Nanoraphidiini, is proposed. The phylogeny and fossil record of Raphidioptera is discussed and the suborders Priscaenigmatomorpha and Raphidiomorpha are supported. A revised definition and composition of Mesoraphidiidae (including Cretinocellia) is suggested. 'Siboptera' medialis is transferred to the genus Mesoraphidia. The synonymy of Alloraphidiidae with Mesoraphidiidae is rejected and Alloraphidiinae is restored as separate subfamily that probably represents the sister group of Mesoraphidiinae. The genera Caloraphidia, Styporaphidia and Ororaphidia are transferred to a new subfamily Ororaphidiinae within Mesoraphidiidae. The genus Metaraphidia is excluded from Mesoraphidiidae and attributed to a new monotypic family Metaraphidiidae, which is considered as sister group of Neoraphidioptera (Raphidiidae+Inocelliidae) within the new taxon Euraphidioptera, which is the sister group to Mesoraphidiidae within the new taxon Raphidiformia. Arariperaphidia rochai is transferred to "Baissopteridae" that might rather be a paraphyletic grade of basal stem group representatives.

The rapid Cretaceous diversification of flowering plants remains Darwin's 'abominable mystery' despite numerous fossil flowers discovered in recent years. Wildfires were frequent in the Cretaceous and many such early flower fossils are represented by charcoalified fragments, lacking complete delicate structures and surface textures, making their similarity to living forms difficult to discern. Furthermore, scarcity of information about the ecology of early angiosperms makes it difficult to test hypotheses about the drivers of their diversification, including the role of fire in shaping flowering plant evolution. We report the discovery of two exquisitely preserved fossil flower species, one identical to the inflorescences of the extant crown-eudicot genus Phylica and the other recovered as a sister group to Phylica, both preserved as inclusions together with burned plant remains in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (~99 million years ago). These specialized flower species, named Phylica piloburmensis sp. nov. and Eophylica priscastellata gen. et sp. nov., exhibit traits identical to those of modern taxa in fire-prone ecosystems such as the fynbos of South Africa, and provide evidence of fire adaptation in angiosperms.

Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., the oldest Laurasian soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber

A new species, Eltxo grimaldii sp. nov., is described from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (middle Albian) amber from El Soplao, based on a single female. The new species is compared with the other only known species of the genus, Eltxo cretaceus Arillo & Nel, 2000, based on a single male specimen also found in Spanish amber, but slightly younger (Peñacerrada I amber; upper Albian). The holotype of E. cretaceus is reviewed and its description corrected and expanded, providing the first micrographs of its anatomical features. The holotype of the new fossil species is the only female specimen known of the cecidomyiid tribe Amediini Jaschhof, 2021, a tribe recently described after changes of taxonomic attribution of the genus Eltxo during the last 20 years.

A new Late Cretaceous genus and species of polypore fungus beetles (Coleoptera, Tetratomidae) from northern Myanmar

Throscidae is a small family belonging to the polyphagan superfamily Elateroidea. Fossil throscids with a large morphological variety have been discovered from Cretaceous and Cenozoic amber deposits. However, only one of them has been reported from the fossil-rich Cretaceous Burmese amber so far. Here we describe and figure the second throscid beetle in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (ca. 99 Ma), Trixagosoma guangyuani gen. et sp. nov. The new fossil species has Trixagus-like short mesotarsal grooves and Potergosoma-like prosternum with nonparallel carinae. Our phylogenetic analysis indicates that it represents an early branching lineage of Throscidae. Its short mesotarsal grooves on metaventrite might represent an early evolutionary stage of this structure. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2793C1A1-EE55-4F96-B3E8-E98D289EB261

The ceratopogonids from Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian) amber of Vendee, in northwestern France, are studied. The new species Leptoconops (Leptoconops) gravesi n. sp., Leptoconops species undetermined, and Culicoides doyeni n. sp., are described, illustrated, and compared with other fossil species known for these two genera.

A new fossil species of Dermestidae (Insecta: Coleoptera), preserved in Late Cretaceous (Turonian) amber from New Jersey, is described asAttagenus(Aethriostoma)turonianensisn. sp. The specimen is fossilized in translucent amber, but 3D imaging using propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography allowed detailed classification and description. This species is the oldest representative of the subfamily Attageninae and the third fossil species described in the family from the entire Mesozoic. Dermestidae comprise beetle species that typically feed on carcasses, although some Recent species ofAttagenusLatreille, 1802 are known to feed on plant debris, which is highly abundant in amber deposit sediments. This new species is evidence for diversification in the family during the Early Cretaceous as well as long morphological conservation of diagnostic features of the genusAttagenusfrom the Late Cretaceous. Analyzing the taxa from Mesozoic ambers that show stasis, the small size of the specimens together with a specific ecology could explain the stability of these lineages.

This study provides a comprehensive morphological analysis of ten fossil specimens from the genus Collohmannia, found in Eocene Baltic amber, with nine representing different species. Collohmanniidae, a unique monogeneric family of oribatid mites are among the largest oribatids. They feed on leaf litter and present significant sexual dimorphism and courtship behavior, which includes the transfer of nuptial food from male to female. Extant Collohmannia species inhabit isolated mountain forest areas. A fragmentation hypothesis has been proposed to account for their highly disjunctive distribution, suggesting that climate change divided a large forest area previously occupied by a parent species, leading to the allopatric evolution of several species of Collohmannia. However, with the discovery of a significant number of fossil species in Eocene Baltic amber we propose an alternate hypothesis with the Baltic amber forest serving as an arena for speciation of Collohmanniidae. According to it, the driving force of speciation was dietary and was based on gut microbiome specificity, reinforced by the female choice during the courtship ritual. In this paper we describe seven new fossil species of Collohmannia (C. sellnicki sp. nov., C. albertii sp. nov., C. nortoni sp. nov., C. groehni sp. nov., C. kerneggeri sp. nov., C. weiterschani sp. nov., C. clavata sp. nov.), re-describe C. schusteri based on study of the holotype, synonymize Embolacarus with Collohmannia, propose and describe the neotype of C. pergrata comb. nov., and provide a key to all described Collohmanniidae. Together with the hypotheses of speciation we propose verification experiments to be performed on extant Collohmannia mites.

A new Mesozoic record of the pseudoscorpion family Garypinidae from Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Ajkaite amber, Ajka area, Hungary

Two new genera and species of Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera) are described and illustrated from mid Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. Mulleroconishyalinagen. n. et sp. n., attributed to the Coniopteryginae, bears a unique combination of venation characters and an abdomen without plicatures. The second new genus, attributed to the Aleuropteryginae, i.e. Palaeoconisazarigen. n. et sp. n., displays a unique pattern of crossveins 1m-cua and 2mp2-cua, with the latter crossing the pigmented spot. A check-list of all fossil genera and species of Coniopterygidae is provided.