Gregikia, 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 : 32

Gregikia , new genus

DIAGNOSIS: Costa virtually ends at the apex of R 5. Sc bare. Sc 2 apical. Section M2 setose. R 5 not reaching wing apex. M3 weak. Acrostichal setae absent. Tergite 9 short. Gonostyli well developed.

TYPE SPECIES: Gregikia pallida , n.sp.

ETYMOLOGY: The name is derived from some letters commonly used in names of genera in this complex. The name is feminine.

COMMENTS: The genus is very similar to Palaecomoptera Blagoderov, 1997 , five species of which were described from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia and Mongolia ( Blagoderov, 1997, 1998a), as well as to three monotypic genera: Grzegorzekia Edwards, Creagdhuhia Chandler , and Phoenikiella Chandler. It is distinguished from Palaecomoptera by R 5 not reaching wing apex, costa not produced after R 5 apex, and base of fork of M 1 and M 2 weak. The genus dif­ fers from Grzegorzekia, Creagdhuhia , and Phoenikiella by a short apical palpomere, absence of acrostichal setae, weak M stem and base of fork of M 1 and M 2, absence of setae on A, from Grzegorzekia also by having Sc bare. Gonocoxites of the new genus also have two lobes as in the last three genera, but the gonostyli are better developed. This state is undoubtedly more plesiomorphic than the highly modified genital complex of Grzegorzekia, Creagdhuhia and Phoenikiella . Species of Palaecomoptera have gonostyli developed as well, but some ( P. shcherbakovi , P. lukashevichae ) have tergite 9 large, fully covering the gonocoxites.