Protragoneura, BLAGODEROV & GRIMALDI, 2004

BLAGODEROV, VLADIMIR & GRIMALDI, DAVID, 2004, Fossil Sciaroidea (Diptera) in Cretaceous Ambers, Exclusive of Cecidomyiidae, Sciaridae, and Keroplatidae, American Museum Novitates 3433 (1), pp. 1-76 : 52

Protragoneura , new genus

DIAGNOSIS: Small, dark gnats with antennae shorter than thorax, flagellomeres shorter than wide. Mesonotum densely covered with short trichia, with or without a few setae laterally. Sc short, free. Costa is not produced beyond the tip of R 5, which is long, curved, and almost reaching the tip of M 1. Fork of M 1 and M 2 shifted anteriorly, M 1 ends before wing apex. Base of M 3+4 and CuA fork at the level of base of M3, in basal one­sixth of wing. M3 length about equal to that of M 1 and M 2 fork.

TYPE SPECIES: Protragoneura platycera , n.sp.

ETYMOLOGY: The genus name is a combination of the prefix pro­ (Greek πρo­, beforehand) and Tetragoneura . The name is feminine.

COMMENTS: Closest to Tetragoneura Winnertz, 1846 , about 100 extant species of which are known from the Holarctic (17 spp.), Neotropical (ca. 60 spp.), and Australasian (23 spp.) regions. The new genus differs in having C not extended beyond the tip of R 5, RS2 section (small radial cell) long, and base of M 3+4 and CuA fork very basal; M 1 and M 2 fork shifted anteriorly. Setation of mesonotum is also distinctive and separates the new genus from Tetragoneura .