Zippelia engeli, RASNITSYN & MÜLLER, 2023

RASNITSYN, ALEXANDR P. & MÜLLER, PATRICK, 2023, Identity of the insect larva described by Zippel et al. (2022) in the mid-Cretaceous Burmese (Kachin) amber (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinoidea, Blasticotomidae = Xyelotomidae syn. nov.), Palaeoentomology 6 (1), pp. 13-16 : 14

Zippelia engeli sp. nov.

Holotype. SNHMB. G 8194 ; Burmese (Kachin) amber, midCretaceous; well preserved small larva with ventral aspect partially obscured with air bubble.

Etymology. Species is named after Dr Michael S. Engel in appreciation of his identification of the symphytan nature of the holotype.

Diagnosis. As for the genus.

Description ( Zippel et al., 2022: figs. 2, 3). Early larva. Body surface finely reticulate except that head capsule apparently smooth; no vestiture discernible except for strong setae on basal segments of maxillary palp mentioned by Zippel et al. (2022). Body length 3.9 mm. Head capsule 0.40 mm long, 0.25 mm high, antenna 0.28 mm, with segments growing gradually narrower and longer toward apex, with scape and pedicel transverse, somewhat elongate dorsally, and apical segment almost needle-like. Clypeus apparently short, with transverse impression. Mandibles short, with teeth apparently short and of similar length. Maxillary and labial palps both some 1.3 mm long (palpiger included), rather thick, conical. Mid leg 0.38 mm long (coxa to pretarsus lengths in mm respectively 0.085, 0.06, 0.055, 0.055, 0.055, 0.055), with three apical segments almost cylindrical. Abdominal tergum 10 with lateral teeth slightly longer than wide, rounded apically, medial tooth slightly bent upward, with wider base and narrow main part, 0.23 mm long, narrowly rounded apically, much longer than main part of tergum (visible length 0.14 mm). Subanal lobe 1.25× as long as wide basally, tapering toward truncated apex, with apicolateral processes as long as lobe apex wide, with two segments of equal length, much longer than wide, basal one subcylindrical, apical one conical.