Leptotarsus buscalioniae, Ribeiro, Guilherme C. & Lukashevich, Elena D., 2014

Ribeiro, Guilherme C. & Lukashevich, Elena D., 2014, New Leptotarsus from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil and Spain: the oldest members of the family Tipulidae (Diptera), Zootaxa 3753 (4), pp. 347-363 : 357

Leptotarsus buscalioniae sp. nov.

( Figs 5, 6 , 19–21 )

Type material. Holotype: LH 35088± (part and counterpart of entire male specimen; preserved structures include the long antenna and terminalia). East-central Spain, Las Hoyas; La Huérguina Limestone Formation, Late Barremian, Early Cretaceous. Housed in Museo de Ciencias de Castillia–La Mancha.

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Angela Buscalioni, the main organizer and motor of the excavation in Las Hoyas for many years.

Diagnosis. This species differs from all known Cretaceous species by relatively long abdomen. It differs from other species of Leptotarsus from the Early Cretaceous of Spain by long distal section of vein M1+2 and distal sections of veins M3 and M4 strongly divergent, and from Brazilian species by absence of dark costal field.

Description. Head. Antennae long and slender, bearing long and slender flagellomeres (total number of flagellomeres unknown); rostrum ca. 0.5x the total length of head. Thorax stout, as long as wide. Wing transparent except for dark pterostigma; Sc reaching wing margin at the level of first bifurcation of Rs and beyond level of the tip of Cu; sc-r present, positioned near the tip of Sc; Rs 1.2–1.4 times longer than R2+3 stem; R1 reaching wing margin distal to the level of R2+3 bifurcation; r-r oblique, linking R1 to R2; R2 oblique; medial vein four-branched; discal cell as long as wide; M3 and M4 strongly divergent; M3 sinuous; M4 arcuated and shorter; long m-cu linking Cu to the base of M4. Abdomen stout, ca. 3.0x longer than thorax; gonocoxite conical, as long as wide.

Measurements. Antenna length, at least 10.2. Body length, ca. 9.5. Wing length/width, 9.4–10.0/2.2–2.7.

Note. In the holotype, one wing is longer and narrower than the other (proportions of length to width about 1:4.5 and 1:3.5 respectively). This shows clearly that the original proportions of the wings have been distorted. Therefore, one must be careful when comparing proportions of wings in Las Hoyas fossil insects.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 9. Wing venation of Leptotarsus spp. from Las Hoyas, Early Cretaceous, Spain. 5 — L. buscalioniae sp. nov., holotype LH 35088, right wing. 6 — L. buscalioniae sp. nov., holotype LH 35088, left wing. 7 — L. ibericus sp. nov., holotype LH 28206. 8 — L. ibericus sp. nov., paratype LH 29995. 9 — L. contractus sp. nov., holotype LH 15419. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 19 – 21. Leptotarsus buscalioniae sp. nov., from Las Hoyas, Early Cretaceous, Spain, holotype LH 35088. 19 — Total view (part). 20 — Forebody (counterpart). 21 — Distal portion of wing (part).