Mirabythus liae Cai, Shih et Ren

Cai, Yaping, Zhao, Yunyun, Shih, Chungkun & Ren, Dong, 2012, A new genus of Scolebythidae (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of China, Zootaxa 3504, pp. 56-66 : 62-63

Mirabythus liae Cai, Shih et Ren , sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 3 B)

DIAGNOSIS. Head narrow anteriorly and broad posteriorly. Propleura well developed, forming a strong, anterior neck, exposed dorsally, broadly rounded anteriorly in dorsal view. Posterior border of mesoscutellum arching posteriorly. Metanotum very short, roughly U-shaped in dorsal aspect. Cell 1M with its sides not parallel but slightly convergent apically, crossvein m-cu nebular, vein M slightly beyond crossvein m-cu, spectral.

Description. Medium-sized wasps, total body length 6 mm; fore wing length 2.4 mm.

Head. Head length 1.3 mm, nearly rounded, narrow anteriorly and broad posteriorly, anterior width well over half of posterior width. Frontal prominence absent. Clypeus short, conspicuously transverse, arching in the middle. Mandible with notches on the anterior margin ( Fig. 2 E). Minimum distance between eyes 1.3 times of the height of an eye, inner orbits closest near the middle, strongly divergent below and above. Lateral ocellus almost entirely obscured but median ocellus apparently surpassing upper tangent of compound eyes. Occipital carina present.

Mesosoma . Pronotal collar absent, dorsal surface of pronotum significantly shortened, about a quarter of mesoscutum length. Notauli present, separate anteriorly but contiguous posteriorly. Prosternum large, exposed, diamond-shaped, width approximately equal to length. Parapsidal lines absent. Mesoscutum separated from mesoscutellum by a straight transverse furrow, mesoscutum nearly 1.2 times as long as width of mesoscutellum. Posterior border of mesoscutellum arching posteriorly. Mesosternum simple, not produced backward over mid coxa, mesosternal region large, separated by a longitudinal groove in the median. Metanotum very short, roughly U-shaped in dorsal aspect. Propodeum with median longitudinal groove extending from anterior margin to near posterior rim.

Metasoma. Abdomen large and swollen, 3.4 mm, anterior face of the first tergite not concave to fit into the propodeum. Both metasomal tergites and sternites, comparatively flat in cross-section. No constriction between first and second abdominal segments. First sternite not prolonged backward.

Legs. Fore coxae large and flattened, contiguous; middle coxae and hind coxae somewhat round, hind coxae contiguous.

Remark. Due to lack of preserved apical area of fore wing Mirabythus liae sp. nov. on the fossil, we can’t be sure whether the vein Rs fuses with vein R1. It is tentatively assigned to Mirabythus based on other morphological diagnostic characters, pending more specimens of this species to be found and studied in the future.

Holotype. Female, No. CNU-HYM-LB2012106p/c, a well-preserved almost complete body with fore wings, legs and partial head.

Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to Madam Li Li for her dedication and accomplishments in her field and providing inspiration and support to CKS’s paleontology studies.

Locality and horizon. Huangbanjigou Village, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China; the Early Cretaceous.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Mirabythus liae sp. nov., holotype, CNU-HYM-LB 2012106 p / c. A, C. ventral view; B. dorsal view, under alcohol; D. dorsal view; E. notches on the anterior margin of mandible, under alcohol.

FIGURE 3. Fore wing. A. Mirabythus lechrius sp. nov., CNU-HYM-LB 2012105 p. B. M. liae sp. nov., CNU-HYM- LB 2012106 c.