First record of fossil ‘rapismatid-like’ Ithonidae (Insecta, Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil

Abstract

A new genus and species, Principiala incerta, is described from the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation (Aptian, Lower Cretaceous) in northeast Brazil. The systematic position of Principiala is discussed, and is interpreted to be most closely associated with “rapismatid-like” Ithonidae based on a set of head, thorax, and wing character states (i.e., very short antennae; large, shield-like pronotum; head almost entirely retracted under pronotum; dilated costal space basally, with numerous crossveins; numerous subcostal crossveins). The previously proposed synonymy of Ithonidae and Rapismatidae is discussed and provisionally confirmed.