Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015

Azar, Dany & Huang, Di-Ying, 2023, Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015 from the mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar: Description of a mating pair, Zootaxa 5396 (1), pp. 94-104 : 97-100

Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015

Figs 1‒4

Type species. Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015 .

Other species. Palaeoparasycorax suppus Stebner et al., 2015 .

Material. Specimen NIGP 203548 A (male) and B (female).

Amended diagnosis. Antenna with 14 flagellomeres, the apical one (apiculus) clearly distinct and half-length of the preapical one, ascoids not discernable, terminal palpus segment longest, sclerotized and distally broader than at its base; wing with Sc short and terminating in acute angle in R 1, sc-c crossvein present; r4+5-m crossvein absent; number of visible abdominal segments reduced (i.e., less than 8); male terminalia inverted; gonostylus upright, with distal portion blunt with one terminal and two subterminal long and strong spiniform setae; gonocoxite elongate, very slightly shorter than gonostylus; epandrial lobe well developed and ovaliform; female terminalia with reduced pointed cercus, slightly directed downward; 8 th sternite well developed, concave in lateral view, with sharp pointed apex ended by an apical strong seta, upward directed and surpassing cercus level.

Locality and horizon. Hukawng Valley of the northern state of Kachin; latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian .

Description of male. Body length without head and without gonostyli: 1.05 mm (same length as the holotype).

Head. With oval eyes ( Fig. 1C ); mouthparts short, non-functional, palpus ( Fig. 1C ) 4-segmented, terminal segment slightly sclerotized increasing in width distally; antennae longer than wing, with 14 flagellomeres ( Fig. 1D ), the apical one (apiculus) clearly distinct and half-length of the preapical one, first flagellomere longest, almost double in length than the two successive ones; ascoids not discernable; scape short, pedicel subspherical, with a short but evident apical neck.

Thorax. Mesonotum setose; legs elongate without distinctive features; wing ( Fig. 2 ) 1.15 mm long, 0.49 mm large, with R 4+5 ending at the broad wing apex; Sc short, ending in a sharp angle in radial vein (0.4 mm from wing base), with a long and faint sc-c crossvein; radius with 4 veins, R4+5 fused; radial fork slightly basal to medial one; CuP [A] vein short almost not reaching wing margin.

Abdomen. 0.5 mm long, with six visible segments; terminalia ( Figs 3 , 4B, 4C ) of inverted type, gonostylus upright, with distal portion blunt with one terminal and two subterminal long and strong spiniform setae; gonocoxite elongate, very slightly shorter than gonostylus; epandrial lobe well developed and ovaliform.

Description of female. Body length without head: 1.5 mm.

Head. Badly preserved with oval eyes; mouthparts relatively short but longer than those of the male, palpus 4- segmented, terminal segment slightly sclerotized increasing in width distally as in male; antenna (only one preserved) longer than wing, with 14 flagellomeres, the apical one (apiculus) clearly distinct and half-length of the preapical one, first flagellomere longest, almost double in length than the two successive ones; ascoids not discernable.

Thorax. Mesonotum setose; legs elongate without distinctive features; wing with same venation as male but larger.

Abdomen. 1.12 mm long; terminalia ( Figs 3 , 4A, 4C ) with reduced pointed cercus, slightly directed downward; 8 th sternite well developed, concave in lateral view, with sharp pointed apex ended by an apical strong seta, upward directed and surpassing cercus level.

Remarks. Palaeoparasycorax globosus differs from all remaining Sycoracinae by the distinctive absence of r4+5-m crossvein. Male smaller and thinner than female; female 1.5x longer than male and 1.8x wider ( Fig. 1A, B ). Copulation with end-to-end opposite position during courtship ( Fig. 1A, B ). The male captures the female terminalia with its gonostyli and penetrates the two filaments of the aedeagus attached basally to the parameres, while the female upwards the 8 th sternite to enable mating.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015, specimen number NIGP203548. A, B, Habitus of mating pair. C, Head of male. D, Antenna of male. Scales bars = 0.5 mm in A, B, 0.1 mm in C, D.

FIGURE2.Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebneret al., 2015,specimennumber NIGP203548,wingofmale.A, Microphotograph with compound microscope. B, Microphotograph with fluorescent compound microscope. C, Line drawing. Scale bars = 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 3. Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015, specimen number NIGP203548, male and female terminalia in mating. A, Microphotograph with compound microscope. B, Microphotograph with fluorescent compound microscope. C, Microphotograph with confocal microscope with color-coded projection. D, Microphotograph with confocal microscope. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Palaeoparasycorax globosus Stebner et al., 2015, specimen number NIGP203548. A, Line drawing of female terminalia. B, Line drawing of male terminalia. C, Line drawing of male and female terminalia in copulation.Abbreviations: ae = aedeagus; ce = cercus; ep lb = epandrial lobe; goncx = gonocoxite; gonst = gonostylus; pm = paramere; 8th st = 8th sternite. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.