Palaeoentomology

An early Miocene prominent moth from Bílina mine in the Czech Republic (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)

JAKUB PROKOP — 2025-10-31

Prominent moths (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) are morphologically and ecologically diverse members of the superfamily Noctuoidea, the largest radiation of extant Lepidoptera on Earth with more than 40,000 described species (van Nieukerken et al., 2011). The phylogenetic relations are yet unclear between Notodontidae and the other six recognized noctuoid families (Scranciidae, Oenosandridae, Noctuidae, Erebidae, Euteliidae, and Nolidae) (Zahiri et al., 2011; St Laurent et al., 2024). Recent higher-level molecular phylogenies recovered Notodontidae sister to a clade formed by Noctuidae, Erebidae, Euteliidae, and Nolidae (Zahiri et al., 2011; Wahlberg et al., 2013; Kawahara et al., 2019; Rota et al., 2022; St Laurent et al., 2024). However, due to poor taxon sampling and the scarcity of noctuoid fossils, the molecular-clock estimates for the divergence between Notodontidae and other extant noctuoid families remain highly uncertain, probably in the range of 67–88 Mya (Wahlberg et al., 2013; Kawahara et al., 2019).

**Redescription of the only known Korean specimen of Turbidapsyche dobrokhotovae (Novokshonov, 1997) from the Amisan Formation**

CORENTIN JOUAULT — 2025-10-31

The mecopteran family Mesopsychidae is characterized primarily by an elongated siphonate proboscis, which likely enabled its members to feed on and pollinate Mesozoic gymnosperms (e.g., Labandeira et al., 2007; Ren et al., 2009). However, many species and fossil specimens from this family are known only from isolated wings, making it difficult to generalize their paleoecology (Lian et al., 2024).

First clown beetle (Coleoptera: Histeridae) from Middle Miocene Mexican amber

JAN SIMON-PRAŽÁK — 2025-10-31

The polyphagan family of clown beetles (Coleoptera: Histeridae) is represented by over 4,800 species with worldwide distribution. It is well-known for the diversity of exploited habitats and remarkable morphological adaptations, which evolved in relation to habitat shifts (Kovarik & Caterino, 2016). The origin of the family has been estimated to the mid-Jurassic based on phylogenomic analyses (Kusý et al., 2025). The earliest known fossils appeared in the Cretaceous Period, with the oldest fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Hkamti amber (ca. 110 Ma) of northern Myanmar (Caterino & Yamamoto, 2023; Simon-Pražák et al., 2024). There are currently over 50 described fossil species of clown beetles with most of them found in Cretaceous and Eocene ambers. Only a single species has been formally described from the Miocene age ambers (i.e., Trypanaeus hispaniolus Chatzimanolis et al., 2006; from Middle Miocene Dominican amber of the Dominican Republic).

Merging part and counterpart images of compression fossils

ROMAN RAKITOV — 2025-10-31

While examining rich insect collections from the Lower Permian Chekarda locality in the Cis-Urals region of Russia, preserved at the Paleontological Institute (PIN) in Moscow, I noticed that dark patches, representing fragments of fossilized cuticle upon a lighter rock matrix, on the part and the counterpart of one fossil often appeared complementary and could be fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle. The phenomenon is well familiar to those who study thin compression fossils. Insects, for example, occasionally become compressed by sediment to such a state that the multiple cuticular layers of their bodies—opposite body sides, overlapping wings, legs, and other appendages—all become fused into a single film of fossilized cuticle. Then, a blow of the rock hammer fractures this film in such a way that some of its fragments become exposed upon the part and others upon the counterpart. I attempted to combine such part and counterpart images into more complete composites and in this way I was able to interpret many poorly preserved specimens, which otherwise would be left out of the study, and, moreover, to see and understand morphological structures of crucial importance, which otherwise would be overlooked. The results of my palaeoentomological study will be published elsewhere, but my success in superposition of part and counterpart images warrants a separate, brief publication on the method itself. Undoubtedly the idea must have occurred to many. Merged composites of part and counterpart images and descriptions of the implemented merging techniques have been published as part of larger studies (e.g., Haug et al., 2009; Haug & Haug, 2013). Yet, I believe the method deserves a dedicated discussion. It has some limitations, which confine the scope of its use, but in some cases it may help visualize poorly preserved, badly fragmented specimens, which may otherwise remain uninterpretable. Therefore, the goal of the present note is to describe a simple method of part-counterpart (PCP) image merging and discuss its pitfalls and limitations. The images were processed manually using either of two computer graphics editors, the proprietary Adobe Photoshop and the free open-source GIMP. In this form, the technique is available to virtually anyone. On the other hand, its computer automation appears to be a realistic goal.

**A new species of Cretevania (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae) preserved in Albian amber of El Soplao (Cantabria, Spain)**

ENRIQUE PEÑALVER — 2025-10-31

A new species of the diverse extinct genus Cretevania Rasnitsyn, 1975, Cretevania orgonomecorum Peñalver & Sánchez-García sp. nov., is described from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (middle Albian) amber from El Soplao, based on a single, complete and well-preserved female. The new species is compared with other known species of the genus, mainly those with similar wing shape and venation, large body size, and those described from Albian Spanish amber. This new species is among the largest within the genus and similar in body length to C. tenuis from Cenomanian Kachin amber (Myanmar) and C. pristina from Barremian compression rocks of Beipiao (China). Its description and the revision of other species have led to the identification of previously unrecognized characters which may be useful in future taxonomic diagnoses. These results contribute to a more accurate understanding of interspecific differences and will help delimit species boundaries within a genus, proving increasingly diverse in the Cretaceous. The previously established synonymisation of the genus Procretevania as junior to Cretevania is also reviewed here. Palaeobiological comments are provided based on anatomical features of the genus.

New damselflies (†Mesostictinae and Platycnemidinae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber

MATEO D. MONFERRAN — 2025-10-31

Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are very diverse in extant ecosystems and contain more than 20 fossil species into eleven families in Burmese amber. Here we describe two fossil damselflies from the Cenomanian Burmese amber that we attributed to the families Platystictidae and Platycnemididae. The research focused on specimens housed at the Geominer Museum of the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IGME, CSIC) in Madrid. The results of the study identified two new taxa, Mesosticta garciavallsi sp. nov. and an undetermined Platycnemididae species, or new morphotype, which have been studied based on their fore- and hind wing venations, being the wings the only parts preserved. These new specimens represent the fifth species described of the extinct genus Mesosticta Huang, Azar, Cai & Nel, 2015 and the putative oldest fossil record of Platycnemidinae. Our findings increase the known diversity of damselflies during the mid-Cretaceous.

Two new Jurassic species of Tipuloidea (Insecta: Diptera) from Daohugou Village, China

CHU-PING WANG — 2025-10-31

Two new species of Tipuloidea, Tipunia ningchengensis sp. nov. and Praearchitipula procera sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation at Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China. The new species T. ningchengensis sp. nov. is not only the first Chinese record of genus Tipunia, but also the first record of Tipulidae in the Middle Jurassic. Thereby, it not only enriches the diversity and distribution area of Tipunia, but also extends the first appearance of Tipulidae back to the Middle Jurassic. The new pediciid species P. procera sp. nov. found without hairy eyes, confirms once again that the Mesozoic genus Praearchitipula has no pubescence of the eyes, different than the extant genera of Pediciidae. These two new species further enhance the biodiversity of Jurassic insects in the Daohugou area, and the suitable and diverse ecological environment of this region harbored so rich and diverse insect groups.

Thripidae and Melanthripidae from the mid-Cretaceous (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

DA-WEI GUO — 2025-10-31

The thrips diversity preserved in Kachin amber is remarkably high, with numerous new species awaiting discovery. In this paper, two new species of Thripidae: Euthythrips longialatus gen. et sp. nov. and Minythrips exquisitus gen. et sp. nov., plus five new species of Melanthripidae: Aspistothrips fortis gen. et sp. nov., Aspistothrips decorus sp. nov., Areiothrips bellator gen. et sp. nov., Charismathrips longiantennatus gen. et sp. nov., Charismathrips exaridus sp. nov., are systematically described, expanding the fossil record of Thysanoptera from Kachin amber. Through comparative morphological analyses of fossil taxa, we propose that two characters likely represent plesiomorphic traits of Thysanoptera: nine antennomeres and duplicated cilia arranged parallel to regular fringe cilia. By synthesizing existing research on thrips environmental interactions, this study briefly analyzes the adaptive evolution of thrips during floral ecosystem turnover.

Cretofigulus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae): a new genus with two new species in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

ZHI-HAO QI — 2025-10-31

A new fossil stag beetle genus, Cretofigulus gen. nov., is identified and described from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. Two new species, C. caoqiangi sp. nov. and C. hollowayae sp. nov. are herein described and illustrated. Additionally, the morphological differences between Cretofigulus gen. nov. and the related extant genus Figulus Macleay, 1819 are discussed. Cretofigulus gen. nov. is the second fossil record of the subfamily Lucaninae from Burmese amber. Despite an evolutionary divergence of approximately 99 million years, Cretofigulus gen. nov. exhibits a striking morphological resemblance to extant Figulus. Key diagnostic features of Cretofigulus gen. nov., including reduced sexual dimorphism, suggest behavioral and ecological parallels with modern Figulini Burmeister, 1847, such as carnivorous feeding habits and adaptation to a monogamous lifestyle within decaying wood.

**A new extinct species of Phloiotrya Stephens (Coleoptera: Melandryidae: Dircaeini) from late Eocene Rovno amber**

VITALII ALEKSEEV — 2025-10-31

A new fossil species of the melandryine beetle genus Phloiotrya from Rovno amber is described and illustrated. The new species, Phloiotrya (Phloiotrya) groehni sp. nov., is compared with its extant congeners and related extinct taxa from Baltic amber. Additional fossil records of false darkling beetles from Eocene Rovno and Baltic fossil resins are presented.

**A revision of the fossil true bugs Mesolygaeus Ping, 1928 and Mongolocoris Ryzhkova, 2012 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Enicocoridae) with description of a new species**

OLGA V. RYZHKOVA — 2025-10-31

The Early Cretaceous genus Mesolygaeus Ping, 1928 is revised based on numerous specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Laiyang Formation in the Laiyang Basin, eastern Shandong Province, China. The genus Enicocoris Popov, 1980 is recognized as a junior synonym of Mesolygaeus syn. nov. and the family Mesolygaeidae, 1990 is therefore recognized as a junior synonym of Enicocoridae Popov, 1980 syn. nov. Also, the genus Longyanteclypea Zhang et al., 2013 is considered as a junior synonym of Mongolocoris Ryzhkova, 2012 syn. nov. Additionally, a new species, Mongolocoris polhemi Ryzhkova sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Tsagaantsab Formation of Tsagaan-Suburga, Dornogovi Province, southeastern Mongolia.

The oldest fossil record of jump tree bug from mid-Cretaceous amber (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae)

JIA-DONG YIN — 2025-10-31

A new tribe Cretaloxini tribe. nov. of jumping tree bugs is established for the fossil Cretaloxus wanae gen. et sp. nov., a well-preserved specimen from mid-Cretaceous amber. This taxon is classified within the subfamily Isometopinae (Hemiptera: Miridae) and represents the oldest fossil record of Isometopinae found so far from northern Myanmar as well as the whole world. High-resolution habitus photographs of the female holotype (Cretaloxus wanae gen. et sp. nov.) are provided. The new species can be placed in Isometopinae by the following characters: the ocelli present and antennal fossa situated below compound eyes. The fossil serves as a critical source of morphological data, offering novel insights for analyzing the phylogenetic relationships within Miridae through external characters. Specifically, this mid-Cretaceous Burmese fossil may preserve an early morphological stage of Isometopinae, offering key evidence for reconstructing the initial diversification of Miridae.

**A new species of Chrysopilus Macquart, 1826 (Diptera, Rhagionidae) from Baltic amber**

CHEN-XIN ZHOU — 2025-10-31

A new species of rhagionid fly, Chrysopilus perseverans sp. nov., is described from middle Eocene Baltic amber. Based on the key provided by Kerr (2010), the new species can be attributed to the genus Chrysopilus Macquart, 1826 due to the following diagnostic characters: antennae with a long terminal arista, dense microsetae on arista, holoptic male eyes, setose anepisternum and laterotergite, and macrosetae on forefemur. A checklist of named species of fossil rhagionids is provided.

A new species of dustywings from the Lower Cretaceous Hammana outcrop of Lebanon (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae)

DANY AZAR — 2025-10-31

Libanoconis medialis sp. nov. from the Mdeyrij-Hammana outcrop of amber (Central Lebanon), is characterised, illustrated, described and its taxonomic position is discussed. Libanoconis medialis sp. nov. is the third coniopterygid from the Lebanese amber. The new species, as well as the reexamination of the holotype of L. fadiacra from Bkassine, Jezzine District, permits to clarify the presence of a trifurcate MP in the hind wing.

Two new thorny stick insects (Euphasmatodea) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber

MENG ZHANG — 2025-10-31

Two new species of thorny stick insects are described and figured, belonging to the genus Echinosomiscus Engel, 2016 (Euphasmatodea: Phasmatidae: Echinosomiscinae). Echinosomiscus conicaculeatus sp. nov. and E. longianalis sp. nov. are both from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber and preserve apomorphies of this genus, such as the similar coronal acanthae on the head, a scape with two dorsal thorns, thoracic spines arranged transversely, and tarsomere V longer than the remaining tarsomeres. These two new species have different and distinctive arrangements of acanthae on the head, thorax, and legs relative to E. primoticus Engel & Wang, 2016. Most notably, E. longianalis lacks spines on the abdomen, and tergum X is undivided vs. numerous spines on the abdomen, and tergum X divided into hemitergites in E. primoticus. The discovery of these new specimens broadens the evidence of spines as a defensive mechanism in the mid-Cretaceous forest ecosystems.

Modelling among-site compositional heterogeneity resolves ant backbone phylogeny: A reply to Boudinot & Lieberman (2025)

CHEN-YANG CAI — 2025-10-31

Understanding the early evolution of ants has been hindered by conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses and methodological inconsistencies across studies. In Cai (2024), I reanalyzed both Sanger-sequencing and genome-scale datasets of ants using rigorous model comparison and methods that account for among-site compositional heterogeneity to identify the sources of phylogenetic conflict. The results showed that the 11-loci datasets in Borowiec et al. (2019) failed to resolve deep ant relationships and could not determine the position of Martialis heureka. Analyses of the genome-scale data further revealed that the placement of key lineages depends strongly on model fit. Bayesian cross-validation and posterior predictive assessments demonstrated that the infinite mixture CAT-GTR+G4 model substantially outperforms empirical finite mixture models, providing robust support for the Leptanillinae-sister hypothesis. Criticisms by Boudinot & Lieberman (2025) regarding the study design, model choice, and convergence assessments stem from misinterpretations of the analytical framework. The matrices in Cai (2024) were explicitly designed to test model performance under controlled subsampling and filtering schemes, and all analyses showed consistent results across datasets. The findings reaffirm that accurately modelling among-site compositional heterogeneity is essential for resolving the backbone phylogeny of ants, and that under the best-fitting models, Martialis heureka occupies a well-supported position as sister to all non-leptanilline ants.