Habroblattula, Wang, Tian-Tian, Liang, Jun-Hui & Ren, Dong, 2007

Wang, Tian-Tian, Liang, Jun-Hui & Ren, Dong, 2007, Variability of Habroblattula drepanoides gen. et. sp. nov. (Insecta: Blattaria: Blattulidae) from the Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China, Zootaxa 1443, pp. 17-27 : 18-19

Genus Habroblattula gen . nov.

Type species. Habroblattula drepanoides sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Wings, pronotum and legs with bright and dark colour. Forewing Sc terminally branched, CuP strongly curved, all branches strong and dark, intercalaries and cross-veins distinct. Hindwing with pterostigma (dark macula in the R1), R1 and RS differentiated, CuA with abundant secondary branches.

Description. Forewings with more or less parallel margins and characteristic forewing coloration (with falciform dapple of the R and M area and with macula along with the basal part of the posterior margin). Costal space very short and narrow; Sc terminally branched; R slightly curved, multiple simple branches, ending before wing apex; apically descending M simplified; CuA with branches long, running parallel to margin; CuP strongly curved; Anal veins simple and with thick cross-veins (visible even in poorly preserved specimens). Hindwing with pterostigma (dark macula in the R1). Sc simple; R1 and RS differentiated; M without tertiary branchings; CuA with abundant secondary branches; CuP simple. Apex distinctly colored. Pronotum with anomalous dapple, wider than long. Legs long with bright dark macula, femur shorter than tibia; all tibiae very short, with numerous spurs. Body soft, terminal segments with multisegmented cerci and styli.

Remarks. Habroblattula is assigned to the family Blattulidae , because the forewing has long Sc, regular venation with distinct intercalaries and hindwing has simple CuP, branched A1. (Vishniakova 1983)

Habroblattula gen . nov. is closely related to Svabula Vršanský, 2005b from the Berriasian Lower Cretaceous sediments of Sharin-gol in Mongolia. Synapomorphies include wider forewing with margins parallel, branches strong, straight and dark, clavus with cross-veins. Svabula differs in small forewing size, different coloured pattern, having less apparent intercalaries and thick cross-veins.

Hindwing of the new genus resembles Kridla Vršanský, 2005a from the Albian or Cenomanian Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Kyndalskaya Formation in having distinct pterostigma and distinct apex coloration, but differs from the latter by secondarily branched R1, and A2, simple M and more abundant cross-veins.

The new genus differs from genus Tarakanula Vršanský, 2003 by prominently coloured wings, pronotum and legs of new genus, with more dense veins and with apparent thick cross-veins.

Habroblattula gen . nov. is easily differentiated from Elisama Giebel, 1856 and Blattula Handlirsch, 1906 –1908 by having coloured wings, pronotum and legs, the forewing with strong, dark branches and apparent cross-veins in clavus and Cu area.

Xonpepetla Cifuentes-Ruiz et Vršanský, 2006 from the Campanian of Mexico differ in being robust body with very short and very wide forewings.

Etymology: The name is derived from the Greek prefix habr (meaning “elegancy”) and the type genus Blattula (the type genus of this family).