A new genus of anaxyelid wood wasps from the mid-Cretaceous and the phylogeny of Anaxyelidae (Hymenoptera)

Abstract

Two new species of wood wasps (Anaxyelidae), Orthosyntexis elegansgen. et sp. nov. and Orthosyntexis thantisp. nov., are described from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. Orthosyntexisgen. nov. exhibits characters and character combinations unique to the family, such as the combination of two mesotibial spurs, a length ratio of forewing 1Rs to 1M<1, a length to width ratio of forewing cell 1mcu ≥ 2, and the presence of 2M+Cu in the hind wing. The new species and morphological characters allow for an exploration of anaxyelid phylogeny. The phylogenetic results indicate that Anaxyelidae are monophyletic and it is suggested to classify the genera in two subfamilies, Syntexinae and Anaxyelinae, the latter including Kempendajinae and Dolichostigmatinae.