Iberoraphidia Genus and species indet. 3

Fuente, Ricardo Perez-de la, Penalver, Enrique, Delclos, Xavier & Engel, Michael S., 2012, Snakefly diversity in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera), ZooKeys 204, pp. 1-40 : 24-25

Genus and species indet. 3 Figs 13 C–D, 14 C–D

Material.

MCNA 9316, from Peñacerrada I amber; fore- and hind wing fragments from the same side of the body and a poorly preserved part of the abdomen, although the genitalia is somewhat visible. The amber piece contains abundant organic remains. The specimen is preserved together with legs of a spider as syninclusions.

Descriptive notes.

Male.Small size (inferred from preserved wing fragments). Forewing. Length as preserved about 4.5, maximum width not measurable. Two discoidal cells posterior to MP; posterior branch of MP unforked; M-CuA separation not preserved; 2A arcuate. Hind wing.Length as preservedabout 4.7, maximum width not measurable. Costal field relatively narrow; four c-sc crossveins preserved; Sc ending into C at length of first radial cell’s midlength; pterostigma not evidently infumate, not closed basally by a crossvein, at least proximally; first discoidal cell not especially small (or compact) (small in Cantabroraphidia marcanoi ); rs+ma-mp crossvein present. Abdomen. Length as preserved (including genitalia) 3.8. Gonocoxites 9 with paired basal inner tubercles with small dark teeth; gonocoxites 9 elongate, with very long, stiff setae distally; gonostyli 9 very elongate, slightly upcurved; parameres not conspicuous; tergite 10 (+11?) with distalmost two or three stripes of trichobothria.

Comments. The preserved characters of MCNA 9316 are not enough to create a new taxon. The combined presence of two discoidal cells posterior to MP as in Cantabroraphidia and Amarantoraphidia gen. n., and the lack of a crossvein closing the pterostigma basally in the preserved wing length as in Necroraphidia gen. n., Ororaphidia , and Styporaphidia (showing three discoidal cells), precludes assignment to any of these genera. The lack of a crossvein closing the pterostigma basally can mean that the base of the pterostigma may have been diffuse or that the pterostigma may have been placed in a more distal position, as occurs in some mesoraphidiids. However, the inferred size of MCNA 9316 would have not been as reduced as in the minute mesoraphidiids but would have better fit with that of those mesoraphidiids with a diffuse pterostigmal base (refer to comments for Necroraphidia gen. n.). Furthermore, the presence of a rs+ma-mp crossvein in the hind wing as occurs in MCNA 9316 is a very rare character among described Mesoraphidiidae but more common in modern snakeflies, although it is also present in Styporaphidia magia . The morphology of the genitalia appear distinctive enough as to be recognizable in future findings. It is interesting to note that Aspöck and Aspöck (2004: figs 9, 10) used the presence of wartlike tubercles (covered with dark teeth) on the inner side of gonocoxite 9, larger but similar to those shown by MCNA 9316, as a diagnostic character for the inocelliid genus Succinofibla Aspöck & Aspöck, 2004 from Baltic amber. These authors also suggested that these tubercles could be related with the closing mechanism of the genitalia.