Two new species of Vespidae (Hymenoptera) in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

Abstract

Two new species of Vespidae, Alivespa gracilenta sp. nov. and Archaeovespa incompleta sp. nov. are described from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar based on two well-preserved specimens. Alivespa gracilenta sp. nov., attributed to the extinct subfamily of Priorvespinae, shares the typical combination of diagnostic features of Priorvespinae, such as forewing first submarginal cell basal angle obtuse and second submarginal cell basal angle obtuse, M and Rs angled. Archaeovespa incompleta sp. nov. belongs to the genus of Archaeovespa owing to forewing recurrent veins reaching M in the different cells, 1cu-a basal to forking of M and Cu and hind wing with the absence of free end of Cu1. In addition, new findings indicate that tibial spurs with short combs in hind legs of Vespidae, most likely serving the function of a cleaning device, occurred before or during the mid-Cretaceous. This character of tibial spurs with combs found in both Cretaceous Vespidae and Formicidae further supports the sister relationship between these two clades.