New fossil wings shed light on Lower Cretaceous Araripechlorogomphidae and minimum age of the Chlorogomphoidea (Odonata: Anisoptera): Crato formation, Araripe Basin, NE Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents two newly discovered fossil wings belonging to the extinct species Araripechlorogomphus Bechly and Ueda, the type genus and species of the Cretaceous ‘libelluloid’ family Araripechlorogomphidae, previously known by incomplete hind wings from the same outcrop. Araripechlorogomphus muratai is of particular interest as it is the oldest-known member of the Chlorogomphoidea and its only known representative outside of the Oriental Region. These findings also support the hypothesis of a close relationship between Araripechlorogomphidae and Chlorogomphidae.