Olindanymphes, Martins-Neto, 2005

Makarkin, Vladimir N., 2022, A new important species of Nymphidae (Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil, Zootaxa 5175 (3), pp. 377-382 : 378-380

Olindanymphes ? headsi sp. nov.

Figs 1–3

Type material. Holotype: INHSP 1510, currently deposited in the Illinois Natural History Survey Paleontology Collection, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U.S.A., but will be repatriated to an appropriate Brazilian institution to comply with Brazilian laws (S.W. Heads, pers. comm.). A body with one complete hindwing and fragments of hind legs.

Type locality and horizon. Northeastern Brazil: Chapada do Araripe (precise locality unknown). Lower Cretaceous: upper Aptian (Crato Formation: Nova Olinda Member) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is formed from the surname of Sam W. Heads in recognition of his contributions to the study of Cretaceous insects.

Diagnosis. Differs from Olindanymphes makarkini by absence of crossveins between distal branches of PR [present in O. makarkini ], and more acute wing apex [more rounded in O. makarkini ].

Description. Female (?). Body ca. 27 mm long; poorly preserved. Details of head not discernible. Pronotum transverse in dorsal view (ca. 0.6 as long as wide); covered with dense, probably long setae. Meso- and metanotum dark. Abdomen: apical segments covered with long, dense setae; presumable 9th tergite not extending laterally to ventral part of abdomen, not dilated ventrally (if it is seen in lateral view).

Hindwing elongate with sub-acute apex, ca. 26 mm as preserved (estimated complete length 27‒28 mm), 7.1 mm wide. Costal space relatively narrow. All preserved subcostal veinlets simple. Subcostal space relatively broad: no crossveins detected. RP originates relatively close to wing base at acute angle to RA, with 10 pectinate branches; RP1 twice very shallowly forked; most other branches dichotomously forked. Crossveins between branches of RP irregularly spaced; between distal branches absent, becoming denser proximad (seven detected between RP1, RP2). Ten crossveins between RP/RP1 and MA. Anterior trace of MA slightly convex, with three rather short branches, which once or twice shallowly forked. Crossveins between MA, MP numerous (11 detected). MP with six pectinate branches; MP1, MP3 deeply forked; MP2, MP4, MP5 relatively shallowly forked; RP1 simple. One to two crossveins between branches of MP. Anterior trace of CuA terminally not forked, pectinately forked, with three long simple branches; no crossvein between these branches not detected. Anterior trace of CuP terminally not forked, pectinately branched, with two long simple branches. Presumable A1 deeply forked. Crossveins in basal part of wing indiscernible or absent. Trichosors not detected.

Remarks. Crossvein arrangement and the shape of wing apex in most Nymphidae (except some derived Myiodactylinae) are more or less similar in fore- and hindwings (see e.g., She et al. 2013: Fig. 8; She et al. 2015: Figs 2 , 11, 15). It can therefore, reasonably be assumed that these character states in the undescribed hindwing of Olindanymphes makarkini are more or less similar to those of its described forewing. These features in O. makarkini and O.? headsi sp. nov. are different: crossveins are present between distal branches of PR in O. makarkini , but absent in O.? headsi sp. nov. and crossvenation is generally denser in the radial space of O. makarkini ; the wing apex of O. makarkini is obviously more rounded than in O.? headsi sp. nov., which is more acute.

This specimen is most probably a female judging from the general view of apical segments of the abdomen, although their structures are mostly not clear.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Olindanymphes? headsi sp. nov., holotype INHSP 1510 (wetted with ethanol). Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Olindanymphes? headsi sp. nov., holotype INHSP 1510 (wetted with ethanol). A, head, pronotum (dorsal view); B, apex of abdomen (lateral view?). e, eye; he, head; pr, pronotum; 9T, ninth tergite. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Hindwing venation of Olindanymphes? headsi sp. nov., holotype INHSP 1510. Scale bar = 5 mm.