Abstract
A new stonefly genus and species, Branchioperla ianstewarti gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a single adult female specimen from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, and attributed to the extinct family Petroperlidae. Its high extent of adult gill retention is a remarkable morphological trait exhibited by the new species. Although the specimen described herein represents a winged terrestrial life stage, it retains tufts of branched gill filaments similar to larval gills on several body parts, including the first eight abdominal segments; a pattern which is unique within the order Plecoptera. The extent of adult gill remnants is evaluated as highly variable within Petroperlidae, probably subject to selective pressures resulting from microhabitat partitioning among various species of this Cretaceous family.
Published Version
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