Two new species of Archaeohelorus (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea, Heloridae) from the Middle Jurassic of China.

Dong Ren,Xiaoqing Shi,Yunyun Zhao,Chungkun Shih

doi:10.3897/zookeys.369.6561

Abstract

Two new fossil species, Archaeohelorus polyneurus sp. n. and A. tensus sp. n., assigned to the genus Archaeohelorus Shih, Feng & Ren, 2011 of Heloridae (Hymenoptera), are reported from the late Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. Based on the well-preserved forewings and hind wings of these specimens, the diagnosis of the Archaeohelorus is emended: forewing 2cu-a intersecting Cu and Rs+M at the same point or postfurcal, and hind wing may have tubular veins C, Sc+R, R, Rs, M+Cu, M and Cu distinct, or simplified venation. The new findings also elucidate the evolutionary trend of forewing and hind wing venation and body size for the Heloridae from the late Middle Jurassic to now.

Highlights

Proctotrupoidea Latreille, 1802, including 11 extant families, is a significant group within Hymenoptera for their long evolutionary history, special morphology and diversity (Grimaldi and Engel 2005)
All the materials have been collected near Daohugou Village, Shantou Township, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China; the late Middle Jurassic (Bathonian-Call-Two new species of Archaeohelorus (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea, Heloridae)
We found that a paratype of A. hoi, CNUHYM-NN2008010, has forewing 2cu-a intersecting Cu and Rs+M at the same point and cell r obtuse-angled triangular; and hind wing with tubular vein C parallel with Sc+R at base, M+Cu robust and forking at the basal section, M long, 1-Cu, 2-Cu distinct

Summary

Introduction

Proctotrupoidea Latreille, 1802, including 11 extant families, is a significant group within Hymenoptera for their long evolutionary history, special morphology and diversity (Grimaldi and Engel 2005). We collected two well-preserved fossil specimens referable to Heloridae from the late Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation at Daohugou Village, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China. Based on these new findings, the diagnosis of Archaeohelorus Shih, Feng & Ren, 2011 is emended and two new species, Archaeohelorus polyneurus sp. It is rich in well-preserved fossils, especially a high level of insect diversity have been reported including Ephemeroptera (Huang et al 2008), Odonata (Li et al 2011), Plecoptera (Liu et al 2011), Blattodea (Wei et al 2012), Orthoptera (Gu et al 2012), Homoptera (Wang et al 2012), Heteroptera (Lu et al 2011), Neuroptera (Wang et al 2010; Shi et al 2011), Raphidioptera (Engel & Ren, 2008), Coleoptera (Tan et al 2012), Mecoptera (Ren et al 2009; Wang et al 2012), Hymenoptera (Wang et al 2012), and Diptera (Liu et al 2012)

Materials and methods

Discussion