Forcipomyia rasnitsyni, SZADZIEWSKI & SONTAG & PANKOWSKI, 2021

SZADZIEWSKI, RYSZARD, SONTAG, ELŻBIETA & PANKOWSKI, MADELINE V., 2021, A new biting midge of the genus Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818 from Miocene Ethiopian amber (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Palaeoentomology 4 (5), pp. 441-444 : 441-443

Forcipomyia rasnitsyni sp. nov.

( Fig. 1A–C )

Type material. Holotype female, deposited in the Museum of Amber Inclusions , University of Gdańsk , MAI 6697, infrared spectroscopy certificate from the International Amber Association no. 22251. Ethiopian amber, Miocene. Syninclusion: one worker of Formicidae .

Etymology. This new species is named in honour of professor Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn of the Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow in recognition of his important contributions to the study of fossil insects.

Diagnosis. The only fossil species of Forcipomyia with a high tarsal ratio (2.3–2.6), very short distal female flagellomeres (AR 0.8), short and separated palpal segments 4 and 5, claws with single apices, both first radial cells present, wing length 0.81 mm. Male unknown.

Description. Female. The specimen is well preserved, complete ( Fig. 1A ). Body hairy, total length (without antennae) 1.4 mm. Flagellum with 13 flagellomeres, total length 0.56 mm, combined length of flagellomeres 9–13 smaller than combined length of flagellomeres 1–8, AR 0.81 ( Fig. 1B ). Microsetae between ommatidia not visible. Proboscis short. Palpus 5-segmented, fourth and fifth palpal segments separated, short and broad, of similar size, combined length 4+5 about 0.050 mm; third palpal segment slightly swollen on basal 2/3, length about 0.060 mm, sensory pit not visible ( Fig. 1A, C ). Anterior anepisternum narrow, weakly B-shaped. Wing length measured from basal arculus 0.81 mm, costal ratio CR 0.51; wing membrane densely covered by long slender macrotrichia; both first radial cells present, first one slit-like, second one distinct, rectangular. Legs slender, tibiae without scales, claws simple, without modifications, empodium large. Tarsal ratio TR: hind leg TR(3) 2.28, midleg TR(2) 2.64, foreleg TR(1) 2.61. Abdomen without modifications, cerci short, seminal capsules not visible ( Fig. 1A ).

Male. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Forcipomyia rasnitsyni sp. nov., female holotype. A, Total habitus. B, Right flagellum. C, Proboscis with palpi.