Minyohelea nexuosa Pielowska-Ceranowska, 2021

PIELOWSKA-CERANOWSKA, AGATA, AZAR, DANY & SZWEDO, JACEK, 2022, Redescription of Minyohelea nexuosa (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) based on a new specimen from Lebanese amber, Palaeoentomology 5 (2), pp. 137-141 : 137-140

Minyohelea nexuosa Pielowska-Ceranowska, 2021

Material. No. JEZ-F 11, adult male. Deposited in the Museum of Natural History of the Lebanese University, Faculty of Sciences II, Fanar, Lebanon.

Emended diagnosis. Only males known so far.Antenna with 13 separate flagellomeres; flagellomeres 2–12 subequal in length; terminal flagellomere slightly elongate; costal margin slightly strengthened (as in M. minuta Borkent, 2000 ), not reaching apex of wing, costal extension weak, not reaching apex; veins M 1 and M 2 weak, but reaching margin, vein CuA weak but reaching margin; male genitalia (see also Pielowska-Ceranowska et al., 2021) similar to those in M. falcata ,with dorsal portion of right gonostylus well developed, and dorsal portion of left gonosylus reduced. Paramere very long and straight with acute apices, longer than gonocoxites, not crossed (parameres straight, shorter than gonocoxites in M. falcata ). Gonocoxites narrowing apicad, with three long, thicker setae on socles in distal portion (no such setae in M. falcata ). Right gonostylus double, dorsal portion sickle-like, ventral portion irregularly elongated, strongly bent in median portion. Left gonostylus lacking dorsal portion, and ventral portion shorter than ventral portion of right gonostylus (right and left gonostyles with sickle-like portion, and straight, bacilliform ventral portion in M. falcata ).

Horizon and locality. Holotype: Mdeyrij-Hammana outcrop (33.8036°N, 35.7303°E), Caza (District) Baabda, Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon. Grès du Liban Formation, lower Barremian; additional specimen No. JEZ- F 11: Jezzine Fall outcrop (33.5456°N, 35.5840°E, Wadi Jezzine village, Jezzine District, South Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon. Lebanese amber, Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) ( Maksoud et al., 2014, 2017).

Description. Total length (without parameres) 0.55– 0.80 mm. Head: antenna with dense plume; 13 separate flagellomeres; 2–12 nearly equal in length; terminal flagellomere slightly elongate; sensilla not visible. Details of four-segmented (0.06 mm) palpus and ommatidia not visible. Legs: moderately slender. Tarsal ratio of fore leg 2.33–2.57, hind leg 1.3–1.62, fore leg/hind leg 0.97–1.13. Claws simple, equal in length. Empodium not visible. Wings length 0.415 mm, costal ratio 0.433, costa likely prolonged.

Genitalia: 0.11–0.12 mm long (with parameres), apicolateral process absent; gonocoxite slender, elongate, 0.06–0.08 mm long; gonostylus divided, dorsal portion irregularly shaped, rather thick; ventral portion slender, long, strongly curved without apical spine. Parameres very long, straight and symmetrical with simple, pointed apices, significantly longer than gonocoxites. Aedeagus U-shaped with low basal arch and long basal arms. Female unknown.