Tapholyda caplani ( Cockerell, 1933 )

Jouault, Corentin, Wei, Mei-cai, Niu, Geng-yun & Nel, André, 2022, Revision of the Oligocene pamphiliid genus and species Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), Palaeoentomology 5 (2), pp. 173-182 : 174-176

Tapholyda caplani ( Cockerell, 1933)

( Figs 1–6 )

Material. Lectotype UCM 18623 (a nearly complete wasp) ( Fig. 1 ). Another specimen UCM 19165 also has the label ‘Holotype’ in the collection database of the Museum of Natural History of Colorado (https://invertpaleosearch. colorado.edu/), but its body length is 15.4 mm, which does not correspond to the dimensions indicated by Cockerell (1933). Notice that Zhelokhovtsev & Rasnitsyn (1972: 326) indicated that the holotype would be the specimen UCM 18626, but the fossil under this number in the collection is the holotype of the bug Poliocoris amnesis Kirkaldy, 1910 from Florissant (Colorado). New specimens. UCM 35546 (a nearly complete specimen) ( Fig. 3 ), UCM 35549 (a partly preserved specimen, tentatively assigned to this species) ( Fig. 4 ), UCM 36942 (a partly preserved specimen) ( Fig. 6 ), UCM 35550 (a nearly complete specimen) ( Fig. 5 ).

Diagnosis. As for the genus (vide supra).

Locality and horizon. Oligocene, ca. 27.2 Ma, Creede Fm., Colorado. Notice that Tapholyda caplani was also recorded from the Khabarovsk region, (Botchi Fm., Russia) ( Rasnitsyn, 1983).

Redescriptions. These fossil wasps show rather well preserved body and wing structures, but, unfortunately, the legs are missing in all the specimens. The holotype is less well preserved than UCM 19165 ( Fig. 2 ) and UCM 35546 ( Fig. 3 ) . We mainly base the redescription on UCM 35546 .

Head nearly rounded, about 1.1 times as wide as long; fore margin of clypeus curved and protruding medially; mouthparts poorly visible; scape and pedicel broader than first flagellomere, first flagellomere 1.0 mm long, longer than second + third ones, broader than other flagellomeres, with fusion traces of five–six inflexibly connected basal flagellomeres as indicated by faint lines and very small incisions on the inner margin when observed under alcohol (visible in holotype specimen, see Fig. 2 , arrowheads), 15–16 flagellomeres.

Thorax.Pronotum narrow; mesoprescutum triangular with a medial carina; mesoscutum triangular-shaped; notauli distinct; mesoscutellum rather large, triangular; mesoscutellar appendage distinct; cenchri rounded; metascutellum rounded.

Abdomen slightly wider than mesonotum; terga with laterotergite separation apparent on dorsal surface; genitalia insufficiently preserved.

Forewing hyaline, with pterostigma lanceolate elongate, well sclerotized and darkened; Sc2 subvertical, well basad 1-Rs, shorter than 1-Rs; R distinctly curved before Rs base and distinctly bent at Rs base; vein 1-Rs long, more than twice as long as half of 1-M, at maximum nearly equal to 1-M in length; M+Cu distinctly curved without trace of angle; no ap-Cu vein; cell 1mcu shorter than length of pterostigma; cell 2r much wider than cell 2rm; crossvein 3r-m clearly longer than 6-Rs; crossvein 1cu-a close to mid-length of cell 1mcu, between 0.7 and 0.8 depending of the specimen; cell 1R distinctly longer compared to its width (ratio length/width = 2).

Hind wings poorly preserved in all specimens, hardly discernible.

Measurements. UCM 18623. Body 17.5 mm long; head 3.1 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; thorax 6.2 mm long, 4.0 mm wide; abdomen 8.9 mm long, 5.3 mm wide; forewing 13.4 mm long, 4.3 mm wide.

UCM 35546. Body 17.6 mm long; head, 3.1 mm long, 3.1 mm wide; thorax 5.6 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; abdomen 9.5 mm long, 5.3 mm wide; forewing ca. 12.0 mm long, 4.3 mm wide.

UCM 19165. Body 16.3 mm long; head 2.6 mm long, 3.3 mm wide; thorax ca. 4.4 mm long, 3.8 mm wide; abdomen 8.7 mm long, 4.7 mm wide; forewing 10.9 mm long, 4.0 mm wide.

UCM 35549. Body 16.8 mm long; head ca. 2.0 mm long, 3.1 mm wide; thorax 5.2 mm long, 3.2 mm wide; abdomen 9.3 mm long, 5.0 mm wide; forewing ca. 12.5 mm long, ca. 3.7 mm wide.

UCM 36942. Body more than 27 mm long.

UCM 35550. Body 15.3 mm long; head deformed 1.7 mm long, 3.3 mm wide; thorax 5.5 mm long, 3.8 mm wide; abdomen 8.2 mm long, 4.3 mm wide; forewing ca. 11.5 mm long, ca. 3.4 mm wide.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), lectotype UCM 18623. A, Rock piece with the specimen. B, Photograph. Scale bars = 5 mm (A), 2 mm (B).

FIGURE 2. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), UCM 19165. A, Rock piece with the specimen. B, Photograph, arrowheads indicate fusion traces. Scale bars = 10 mm (A), 5 mm (B).

FIGURE 3. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), UCM 33546. A, Rock piece with the specimen. B, Photograph. C, Detailed photograph of left forewing. D, Detailed photograph of right forewing. E, Interpretative line drawing of forewing venation with vein and cell names labeled. Scale bars = 5 mm (A, B), 1 mm (C–E).

FIGURE 4. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), UCM 35549. A, Rock piece with the specimen. B, Photograph of specimen. Scale bars = 10 mm (A), 5 mm (B).

FIGURE 5. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), UCM 35550. A, Rock piece with the specimen. B, Photograph of imprint (a). C, Photograph of counterimprint (b). Scale bars = 10 mm (A), 5 mm (B, C).

FIGURE 6. Tapholyda caplani (Cockerell, 1933), UCM 36942. A, Photograph of imprint (a). B, Photograph of counterimprint (b). Scale bars = 5 mm.