Early evolution of Nemopteridae illuminated with the first and oldest thread‐winged lacewing in Cretaceous amber. (3rd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Xiumei; Wang, Bo; Yang, Shiyan; Liu, Xingyue
• Is Part Of: Systematic entomology. Volume 44:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 262
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2019-01-03
• Subjects: Insects -- Classification -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7012
• DOI: 10.1111/syen.12328
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6970

Abstract

Abstract: Nemopteridae are a charismatic family of lacewings distinguished by specialization of morphology in both larvae and adults as well as in their biology and behaviour. The evolutionary history of Nemopteridae is largely unknown due to the scarcity of fossil records. Here we report a new genus and species of Nemopteridae ( Cretocroce xiai gen. et sp.n.) based on an exquisitely preserved adult specimen in mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber. We place the new genus in the subfamily Crocinae, which is characterized by filamentous hindwings with a sensory function as an adaptation to their cavernicolous habitats. The new genus represents the first nemopterid in amber and the oldest crocine known to date. The new fossil crocine is nearly morphologically unchanged over 99 Ma compared with its modern counterparts. Moreover, it is estimated to be closely related to some extant crocines endemic to South America based on morphological phylogenetic analysis. The new finding provides direct evidence to demonstrate the antiquity of Crocinae morphological innovation and related biology, such as pollenophagous habits, and further corroborates Gondwanan origin of the subfamily. The published work has been registered on ZooBank:http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3D29DE48‐DBD8‐4614‐8387‐D9FCF90B0640 . Abstract : A new genus and species of Nemopteridae are described from the Burmese amber. The new species represents the oldest fossil of Crocinae (the thread‐winged lacewings). The new fossil highlights the antiquity of major morphological innovations in Crocinae, and the evolution of pollenophagous habit in Nemopteridae predates the Cenomanian.