Megabittacus Ren, 1997

Yang, Xiaoguang, Ren, Dong & Shih, Chungkun, 2012, New fossil hangingflies (Mecoptera, Raptipeda, Bittacidae) from the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of Northeastern China, Geodiversitas 34 (4), pp. 785-799 : 790-795

Genus Megabittacus Ren, 1997

TYPE SPECIES. — Megabittacus colosseus Ren, 1997 .

T 9 T 8

FIG 2. — Exilibittacus lii n. gen., n. sp., line drawings of holotype: A, body with wings; B, left hind leg; C, right forewing; D, left forewing; E, left hind wing; F, genitalia in ventral view. Abbreviations: sg, subgenitalis; suba, subanale; c, cercus; spa, supra-anale; T 8, tergum octavum; T 9, tergum nonum. Other abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: A, 2 mm; B-E, 1 mm; F, 0.5 mm.

INCLUDED SPECIES. — M. colosseus , M. beipiaoensis Ren, 1997 and M. spatiosus n. sp.

REVISED DIAGNOSIS. — Three or four crossveins between ScP and RA; RP and MP very long; RP1+2 and RP3+4 notably curved, distance between RP1+2 and RP3+4 very short and with one crossvein; “Kreuz der Bittaciden” aligned, MP3+MP4+CuA1+2 forking at the same point; AA3+4 long, extending to posterior wing margin before the level of RP+MA forking.

Based on the above discussion, a key to identify species of the genus of Megabittacus is given page 795.

REMARKS

Megabittacus Ren,1997 was erected based on two species (one with nearly complete wing and body; the other with nearly complete wing but body not perserved). Here, we assign a new species, Megabittacus spatiosus

FIG 3. — Megabittacus spatiosus n. sp., photograph and line drawing of holotype: A, holotype (CNU-M-NN2010003); B, line drawing of holotype, body with wings. Scale bars: 10 mm.

FIG 4. — Megabittacus spatiosus n. sp., line drawings of holotype: A, right forewing; B, right hind wing; C, left forewing; D, left hind wing. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bar: 5 mm.

n.sp.,to this genus based on the following characters: body and wings quite large, wings narrow and long, more than 35 mm long; three or four crossveins between ScP and RA; RP and MP very long; RP1+2and RP3+4 notably curved, distance between RP1+2and RP3+4 very short and with one crossvein. This new species can be differentiated from M.colosseus and M. beipiaoensis by having an oblique crossvein from RA to RP1+2 before pterostigma and two crossveins between MP4+CuA1+2 and CuA3+4 (Fig. 5A, B). Based on this new species, we revised the generic diagnosis of Megabittacus Ren, 1997 as follows (see key).

FIG 5. — Megabittacus spatiosus n. sp., photographs and line drawing of holotype: A, photograph of one inclined crossvein before pterostigma; B, photograph of two crossveins between M4 and CuA; C, line drawing of genitalia in ventral view; D, photograph of genitalia in ventral view. Abbreviations: gx, gonocoxite; ae, aedeagus; c, cercus; prc, proctiger; epi, epiandrium. Scale bars: C, D, 1 mm.

1.5

1.4

1.3

Body 1.2

/

Forewing 1.1

of 1

ratio

Length 0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

FIG 6. — Length ratios of forewing/body versus body lengths for fossil and extant hangingflies. All data are in mm. Three sets of data are indicated by legends in the Figure.

KEY TO THE KNOWN SPECIES OF MEGABITTACUS REN, 1997

1. RP+MA forking before the level of the fork of MP............... M. beipiaoensis Ren, 1997

— RP+MA forking slightly after or at the same level of the fork of MP .......................... 2

2. One crossvein between MP4+CuA1+2 and CuA3+4 ................. M. colosseus Ren, 1997

— Two crossveins between MP4+CuA1+2 and CuA3+4 ....................... M. spatiosus n. sp.