Forewing Venation Research Articles

On the taxonomic position of the genera Krundia, Breukoscelis, and Uphodato(Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoroidea) described from the Insect Limestone of the Isle of Wight.

Three fossil genera, Krundia Szwedo, 2019, Breukoscelis Szwedo, 2019, and Uphodato Szwedo, 2019, described in the family Issidae are transferred to other families according to the shape and venation of forewings. Krundia Szwedo is transferred to the family Tropiduchidae. Breukoscelis Szwedo is placed in synonymy under Uphodato Szwedo and transferred to the family Cixiidae. Forewing venation of the members of Issidae, Tropiduchidae, and Cixiidae are discussed and illustrated.

New evanioid wasps (Hymenoptera: Praeaulacidae, Aulacidae) from Cenomanian Burmese amber

The Cenomanian amber from Kachin State of Myanmar contains a diversified fauna of fossil evanioid wasps. Two new genera are described and figured, as Rasnitsevania ferox gen. et sp. nov. in the family Praeaulacidae, and Electrofoenia jehani gen. et sp. nov. in Aulacidae. Characteristic features of Rasnitsevania gen. nov. include a large mesosoma, a two-segmented metasomal petiole with first segment long, trapezoidal, and the fore wing venation with a long cell 1-mcu and a cell 2rm shorter than 3rm. Electrofoenia is characterized by the pronotum transversely striate and the fore wing with vein 1Rs less than twice as long as 2Rs, 2Rs+M short, 2M longer than 3M, and 1cu-a basal to fork of 1M and 1cu. The Praeaulacidae and Aulacidae display an extensive fossil record suggesting that the Mesozoic Evanioidea were much more diverse than today. An updated list of the fossil record of the Praeaulacidae is provided.

Three New Species of the Genus <i>Autocharis</i> Swinhoe, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Odontiinae) from the Southern Arabian Peninsula

New taxonomic results on the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 (Lepeidoptera: Crambidae, Odontiinae) are presented on the basis of a sample of 11 specimens collected by the author in south-western Oman between 2017 - 2019. The attribution of the material to the genus Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 and the exclusion of other genera close to Autocharis Swinhoe, 1854 was done on the basis of differential features in the forewing venation. Examination of the wing pattern and the genitalia resulted in the attribution of one part of the sample (10 specimens) to the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) species complex and of the other part (1 specimen) to the Autocharis fessalis (Swinhoe, 1886) complex. Morphpmetric analysis of the sample and comparison with type material of the respective species groups revealed significant differences between the specimens of the sample and the representants of the two species groups. These differences result in the description of three new species: Autocharis trisignalis Seizmair, sp.nov. Autocharis renalis Seizmair, sp.nov. belonging to the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex and Autocharis arrondalis Seizmair, sp.nov. belonging to the Autocharis fessalis (Swinhoe, 1886) complex. Furthermore, the presence of the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex is reported as new to the entomofauna of the Arabian Peninsula. Up to now, records of the Autocharis seyrigalis (Marion & Viette, 1956) complex have been restricted to South Africa and the Malagasy region.

New araripeneurids (Insecta: Neuroptera) from Upper Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar

A new species of Araripeneuridae Cratoneura cuneata sp. nov. and an undetermined species Cratoneura sp. are described from the Upper Cretaceous (lowermost Cenomanian) Burmese amber. They can be assigned to this family by the typical venation of forewing, and different from other species of the genus by the wing venation such as forewing ScP + RA veinlets not forked, few crossveins among MP + CuA branches. The relationship of genera Allopteroneura and Cratoneura are discussed.

Chrysolampine Wasps (Chalcidoidea: Perilampidae sensu lato) From Baltic Amber

Abstract Chrysolampine wasps belong to a unique lineage of Chalcidoidea characterized by mobile first instar larvae and known as the planidial clade. The fossil history of this biologically highly derived group of parasitoids is still little known due to the scarcity of preserved fossils. Here, we report the discovery of four specimens of Chrysolampinae from Eocene Baltic amber, representing the first fossil record for the subfamily. All specimens can be assigned to the extant genus Brachyelatus Hoffer & Novicky and are described as Brachyelatus marthae sp. nov. Brachyelatus is characterized by a number of putative plesiomorphies, such as a short petiole and a smoothly sloping pronotum. Synapomorphies with other Chrysolampinae include pores in sloping depressions on the male scape, shape of the clypeus, and features of the fore wing venation. The fossils differ from all examined extant members of Chrysolampinae by the arrangement of the uncal sensilla on the fore wing stigma in a straight line.

The weakest link: Haploid honey bees are more susceptible to neonicotinoid insecticides.

Neonicotinoid insecticides are currently of major concern for the health of wild and managed insects that provide key ecosystem services like pollination. Even though sublethal effects of neonicotinoids are well known, there is surprisingly little information on how they possibly impact developmental stability, and to what extent genetics are involved. This holds especially true for haploid individuals because they are hemizygous at detoxification loci and may be more susceptible. Here we take advantage of haplodiploidy in Western honey bees, Apis mellifera, to show for the first time that neonicotinoids affect developmental stability in diploid females (workers), and that haploid males (drones) are even more susceptible. Phenotypic fore wing venation abnormalities and fluctuating wing asymmetry, as measures of developmental instability, were significantly increased under field-realistic neonicotinoid-exposure of colonies. The higher susceptibility of haploid drones suggests that heterozygosity can play a key role in the ability to buffer the sublethal effects of neonicotinoids. Aiming to improve conservation efforts, our findings highlight the urgent need to better understand the role that genetics plays at enabling non-target organisms to cope with insecticide exposure.

The Chinese Hecalina (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Hecalini)with descriptions of a new genus and seven new species.

The Chinese Hecalina (Deltocephalinae: Hecalini), which consists of five genera, is reviewed. Coloration and shape of the head and body, venation of forewing, and genitalia structures are the main morpological characters utilized to distinguish taxa. Fangamanus gen. n. is proposed for Parabolocratus tripunctatus Matsumura (type species of the new genus) and two other species. A key to the five genera of the Chinese Hecalina (Fangamanus gen. n., Hecalus Stål, Hecalusina He et al., Linnavuoriella Evans, and Thomsonia Signoret) is given, and seven new species from China are described: Hecalus changjiaotus, H. feithailandus, H. nadanus, H. triundosus, H. yuanmouensis, Thomsonia breviaea, and T. daliensis. In addition, four new combinations are proposed: Thomsonia nitobei (Matsumura), Fangamanus rufofascianus (Li), F. tripunctatus (Matsumura) (n. rec.), and F. morrisoni (Kwon and Lee). Only seven previously described species from China remain in Hecalus Stål: H. bifurcatus Cai Wang, H. furcatus Morrison, H. henanus Cai Shen, H. katoi Metcalf, H. prasinus (Matsumura), H. thailandensis Morrison, and H. wallengreni (Stål) plus two species (H. paykulli Stål and H. lefroyi Distant) previously recorded but unconfirmed here from China. Four species are redescribed: Fangamanus rufofascianus, F. tripunctatus, Thomsonia porrecta, and the first description and illustration of the male of T. nitobei (Matsumura) are provided.

A new stick insect (Phasmatodea: Susumaniidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China

A new genus and species, Liutiaogoucuna arachnoidea gen. et sp. nov., is established based on a stick insect with almost complete four wings preserved in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Inner Mongolia, northeastern China, and assigned to the subfamily Susumaniinae of Susumaniidae (Phasmatodea). The discovery of the new taxon provides novel morphological diversity of Susumaniinae, both in forewing and hindwing venation. The high diversity of stick insects with four wings developed in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota indicates that even lack of advanced camouflage, this kind of Phasmatodea had good adaptability in the Early Cretaceous Jehol ecosystem.

First Record of the Ant Genus Crematogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Late Eocene European Ambers

The ant genus Crematogaster Lund, 1831 is recorded for the first time from the Late Eocene Rovno amber, Ukraine (Priabonian stage, 33.9–37.8 Ma). C. primitivasp. nov. is described based on single male. It well differs from males of the extant species by the 13-segmented antennae (vs. 11–12-segmented in modern species). By this feature it resembles the fossil C. praecursorEmery, 1891 described from the Sicilian amber (Early Oligocene, Rupelian stage, 27.8–34.9 Ma), but differs from that species by its distinctly longer antennal scape and by some details of the forewing venation. Only one other fossil Crematogaster species is known – C. auroraLaPolla et Greenwalt, 2015, which was described based on the imprints of two queens from the Middle Eocene Kishenehn Formation, USA (ca. 46 Ma); however, we consider that the ascription of this species to Crematogaster is somewhat questionable.

Maternal Inheritance in Hybrids of Three Honey Bee Subspecies

Abstract The identification of honey bee (Apis mellifera) subspecies is often based on the measurements of workers’ fore-wings. The interpretation of the measurements can be difficult because the phenotype of workers is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Moreover, it is not clear how the phenotype is affected by maternal inheritance. We have used the methodology of geometric morphometrics to verify if hybrids of honey bee subspecies and their backcrosses are more similar to either the father or mother colony. The comparison was based on fore-wing venation of three honey bee subspecies: A. m. carnica, A. m. caucasica, A. m. mellifera. First generation hybrids and backcrosses of those subspecies were obtained through instrumental insemination. Workers of the hybrids were compared with their parental colonies. The shape of wing venation was more similar to the maternal than to parental colony. This phenomenon was particularly visible in first generation of hybrids but it was also present in backcrosses. There were also symptoms of genetic dominance of some subspecies but this effect interacted with maternal inheritance and was difficult to interpret.

A new unique leafhopper genus of Erythroneurini from Thailand, with the description of one new species (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae).

A new genus of the leafhopper tribe Erythroneurini (Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from Thailand, Undulivenagen. n., and a new species Undulivenathaiensissp. n., are described and illustrated. The new genus exhibits a unique feature of the forewing venation with CuA vein strongly sinuate.

†Chrysobythidae, a new family of chrysidoid wasps from Cretaceous Burmese amber (Hymenoptera, Aculeata)

ABSTRACT The chrysidoid wasps are one of the main groups of aculeate parasitoid hymenopterans. Many of its constituent families are relatively well represented in the fossil record, being quite common in many Cenozoic amber deposits worldwide. Conversely, these wasps are scarcely represented in the Cretaceous period. Herein, we describe and illustrate three new genera and five new species from Cenomanian Burmese amber: †Aureobythus decoloratus gen. nov. et sp. nov., †A. punctatus sp. nov., and †A. villosus sp. nov., †Bethylochrysis clypeata gen. nov. et sp. nov., and †Chrysobythus areolatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. The new fossil taxa have a singular body morphology, especially concerning the forewing venation pattern, which does not fit in any of the known chrysidoid lineages. We therefore propose †Chrysobythidae fam. nov. to include these extinct inconspicuous lineages. Phylogenetic affinities with Chrysididae are discussed, based on the interpretations of the main characters of external morphology. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:281EEBDC-3D5F-4BE8-8417-D11F433EE071

A new Epipsocus (Psocodea: Psocomorpha: Epipsocidae) from the Brazilian Amazonia, with supernumerary forewing venation

ABSTRACT Epipsocus manausensis sp. nov., a new psocid species from state of Amazonas, Brazil is here described and illustrated. It differs from all the other species of the genus in having a crossvein between the pterostigma and Rs, in having R2+3 and R4+5 forked or with multiple branches, and in having M dichotomously branched or with multiple branches.

Re-description of Grammapsychops lebedevi Martynova, 1954 (Neuroptera: Psychopsidae) with notes on the Late Cretaceous psychopsoids.

Grammapsychops lebedevi Martynova, 1954 from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Siberia is re-described based on the holotype. The species is represented by a hind wing as its CuA is definitely concave, although the costal space is strongly dilated. This genus together with three other Cretaceous genera (i.e., Embaneura G. Zalessky, 1953, Kagapsychops Fujiyama, 1978, and probably Pulchroptilonia Martins-Neto, 1997) form the Grammapsychops genus-group. The hind wing of Grammapsychops may theoretically be associated with forewings of Kagapsychops or other closely related genera with similar forewing venation. The Late Cretaceous psychopsoids are critically reviewed. All known psychopsoid taxa from this interval are considered as belonging to Psychopsidae.

A New Species of the Extinct Ant Genus Electromyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract Electromyrmex wheeleri sp. n., which belongs to the extinct ant genus is described based on males from the Baltic and Bitterfeld Ambers (Priabonian stage, 33.9-37.2 Ma). Until now only one species of this specialized genus based on a single worker was described and taxonomic position of this genus in the subfamily Myrmicinae remains uncertain. By the forewing venation, males of E. wheeleri resemble Aphaenogaster Mayr, Messor Mayr and Pheidole Westwood, but diff ers from the fi rst two genera by the presence of Mayrian furrows, and from the latter one - by the antennal structure. On the other hand, males of this genus have a set of specialized characters, e. g., subcylindrical petiole, mandibles with an only single apical tooth, quite peculiar shape of mesosoma, etc. and the morphological features of the males of E. wheeleri also do not shed light on its systematic position.

Morphometry of Fore Wing Venation for Identification of Net-Winged Insects of the Ukrainian Carpathians, with a Focus on Chrysopa (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae)

Abstract A method to identify the net-winged insects without preparation of genitalia is proposed. The method is based on morphometric indices of fore wing venation and is applied to Neuroptera of the Ukrainian Carpathians. A key to nine neuropteran families is compiled, with an emphasis on Chrysopidae. Keys to eight genera and eleven species of the genus Chrysopa is provided. A statistical analysis of the variability of diagnostic traits is given for each species and possibility of using morphometric indices is substantiated for species identification.

New insects from the earliest Permian of Carrizo Arroyo (New Mexico, USA) bridging the gap between the Carboniferous and Permian entomofaunas

New insects are described from the early Asselian of the Bursum Formation in Carrizo Arroyo, NM, USA. Carrizoneura carpenteri gen. et sp. nov. (Syntonopteridae) demonstrates traits in hindwing venation to Lithoneura and Syntonoptera, both known from the Moscovian of Illinois. Carrizoneura represents the latest unambiguous record of Syntonopteridae. Martynovia insignis represents the earliest evidence of Martynoviidae. Carrizodiaphanoptera permiana gen. et sp. nov. extends range of Diaphanopteridae previously restricted to Gzhelian. The re-examination of the type species Diaphanoptera munieri reveals basally coalesced vein MA with stem of R and RP resulting in family diagnosis emendation. Arroyohymen splendens gen. et sp. nov. (Protohymenidae) displays features in venation similar to taxa known from early and late Permian from the USA and Russia. A new palaeodictyopteran wing attributable to Carrizopteryx cf. arroyo (Calvertiellidae) provides data on fore wing venation previously unknown. Thus, all these new discoveries show close relationship between late Pennsylvanian and early Permian entomofaunas.

Miocene ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Crimea

Ant imprints, new and previously known, from Middle Miocene deposits near Kerch (Crimean Peninsula, Russia) are described or redescribed. A new Myrmicinae species, Solenopsis atavinus sp. nov., is described based on a wingless female. A winged female similar to the earlier described Dolichoderus tauricus Dlussky, 1981 is found: due to the excellent preservation of this specimen, the new specimen and the holotype of D. tauricus are redescribed and can be reclassified as Ponerites tauricus (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. Oecophylla taurica sp. nov. is described based on a partly preserved imprint of a female thorax with a forewing, the venation of which allows it to be positively identified as a weaver ant. Two other species are transferred from the formal genus Camponotites to Oecophylla based on forewing venation: O. kraussei (Dlussky et Rasnitsyn, 1999), comb. nov. (Early Eocene, United States) and O. macroptera (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. (Middle Miocene, Stavropol, Russia). One of the studied forewing imprints is similar in venation to Paraphaenogaster microphthalmus Dlussky, 1981, described from the Middle Miocene of Vishnevaya Balka (Stavropol province, Russia) and so is attributed to this species. Dolichoderus tavridus sp. nov. is described based on a forewing.

Two new Dikraneurini genera from Ecuador (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)

Two new genera, Sakakidikra n. gen. and Tricella n. gen., of tribe Dikraneurini McAtee are described from Ecuador, each based on a single new species, Sakakidikra jazminae n. sp. and Tricella antonellae n. sp. Both new genera described have only three apical cells in the forewing, an unusual characteristic in Typhlocybinae, but given the differences in the forewing and hind wing venation and male genitalia characters we consider it more appropriate to place the specimens in two separate monotypic genera.

Mirolydidae, a new family of Jurassic pamphilioid sawfly (Hymenoptera) highlighting mosaic evolution of lower Hymenoptera

We describe Pamphilioidea: Mirolydidae Wang, Rasnitsyn et Ren, fam. n., containing Mirolyda hirta Wang, Rasnitsyn et Ren, gen. et sp. n., from the late Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The new taxon is characterized by unique forewing venation with the presence of forewing SC, 1-RS almost as long as 1-M, M + Cu straight, 2r-rs strongly reclival, and antenna with homonomous flagellum, revealing new and important details in antennal evolutionary transformations. Thus, M. hirta with a combination of primitive and more derived characters highlights its transitional state in the Pamphilioidea and complex mosaic evolution within Pamphilioidea in the late Middle Jurassic. The body of this species is densely covered with thin and long setae, suggesting its possible habit of visiting gymnosperm reproductive organs for pollen feeding and/or pollination during the late Middle Jurassic, much earlier than the appearance of angiosperm flowers.