Alonchoptera, Grimaldi, 2018

Grimaldi, David A., 2018, Basal Cyclorrhapha In Amber From The Cretaceous And Tertiary (Insecta: Diptera), And Their Relationships: Brachycera In Cretaceous Amber Part Ix David A. Grimaldi, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2018 (423), pp. 1-97 : 1-97

Alonchoptera , new genus

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from all living and extinct lonchopterids by the very broad, nonlanceolate wing (width 0.60× length); vein C with very long spinules, R 4+5 ending slightly beyond wing apex; arista situated apically on flagellomere I; setae on dorsum of head and thorax very long and fine; setation of head most similar to that of Lonchopterites (also in Lebanese amber).

TYPE SPECIES: A. lebanica , new species.

ETYMOLOGY: A -, from the Greek, “without,” or “devoid of,” and stem base from the only genus of Lonchopteridae , Lonchoptera (“spear winged”); in reference to the broadly rounded (versus lanceolate) wing shape.

COMMENTS: Despite the broad wing with a rounded (vs. pointed) apex, numerous features indicate a close relationship of this genus with Lonchopteridae . These features include: long costal spinules, short R 1, loss of crossvein dm-cu, short cell cup; no anal lobe or alula; long setae on the head and thorax; two pairs of scutellar setae, with the apical pair upright and cruciate. Unfortunately, the presence of interfrontals (normally located just above the antennae) and long cheek setae cannot be confirmed since fractures obscure these portions of the head.