The oldest-known Cymatophlebiinae (Odonata: Aeshnoptera: Cymatophlebiidae) from the Upper Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, northeastern China

Abstract

ABSTRACT The dragonfly Aeshnoptera greatly diversified with a wide distribution during the Mesozoic. The genus Cymatophlebia is one of the most diversified aeshnopteran dragonflies, which survived during the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. In the present study, Cymatophlebia daohugouensis sp. nov. the oldest-known representative of this genus is described from the Middle Jurassic (upper Callovian) Haifanggou Formation of northeastern China. It differs from the other species of Cymatophlebia in having three rows of cells in the postdiscoidal area before the midfork, four-celled discoidal and subdiscoidal triangles, and two rows of cells between Rspl and IR2 basally. This study provides new clues for exploring the early origination and evolution of the cymatophlebiid dragonflies in Laurasia.