Telmaeshna paradoxica

Zhang, Binglan, Ren, Dong & Pang, Hong, 2008, Telmaeshna paradoxica gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata: Anisoptera) from the Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China, Zootaxa 1681, pp. 62-68 : 63-64

Telmaeshna paradoxica gen. et sp. nov.

Figs. 1–3

Etymology. From Greek ' paradoxicus ' = special.

Holotype. Specimen No. CNU­OD­LB2004001­1, part, No. CNU­OD­LB2004001­2, counterpart, gen­ der undetermined, fossilized with an ephemeropteran larva.

Type locality and stratigraphic horizon. The Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, Yixian Formation, near Chaomidian Village, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China.

Diagnosis: As for genus.

Description. A well­preserved hyaline hind wing (part and counterpart), with an oval brown 5.8 by 5.1 mm spot at middle of posterior wing margin due to an artifact of preservation. Gender undetermined.

Hind wing distinctly broad and rather round in shape; length 45.1 mm; max width 17.1 mm; width at nodus 16.5 mm; distance from base to arculus 6.3 mm, from base to nodus 21.5 mm (47.7% of wing length), from nodus to pterostigma 15.3 mm, from pterostigma to the apex 2.5 mm; pterostigma very long and strong (5.8 by 0.9 mm, 12.8 % of wing length), covering four and two­third cells and braced by a weakly oblique crossvein that is nearly aligned with its basal side; costal margin and RA thickened along pterostigma; 11 Pnx between nodus and pterostigma, these not aligned with corresponding 15 Psnx; 10 secondary Anx between costal margin and ScP, not strictly aligned with six secondary Anx between ScP and RA; primary Anx Ax1 and Ax2 aligned and stronger than secondary Anx, but Ax2 less distinct, not so strong as Ax1; Ax1 1.3 mm basal to arculus and Ax2 3.0 mm distal to Ax1; one secondary antenodal crossvein of first row situated midway between two primary Anx; corresponding Anx in the second row not preserved; basal brace (Ax0) thickened; no Anx present between Ax0 and Ax1; 10 Asnx visible basal to subnodus, thus no "cordulegastrid gap" (sensu Bechly, 1996) present; RP and MA distinctly separated at angulate arculus; five bridge­crossveins (Bqs) visible; midfork 4.3 mm basal to nodus; base of RP 2 not aligned with subnodus, but a cell distal to subnodus; oblique veins 'O' two and eight cells distal to subnodus respectively, with distal accessory oblique vein more strongly oblique than true basal one; pseudo­IR1 not well defined (very short, 2.4 mm, and originating distinctly distal to pterostigma); Rspl of three cell rows, straight, well­defined; RP 2 and IR2 are more or less parallel with only a single row of cells in between up to level of halfway between nodus and pterostigma, but more distally with up to three rows of cells between these veins; IR2 straight, slightly arched distally; RP 2 slightly curved at level of pterostigma; RP 1 and RP 2 slightly divergent basally with two or three rows of cells in between, but near pterostigma, these veins becoming more divergent with 4–6 rows of cells in between; RP 3/4 and MA parallel and gently undulate with a single row of cells in between to level of first oblique vein, but distally with two rows of cells in between to level of second oblique vein, and divergent near wing margin with three or four cells in between; Mspl absent, but two inconspicuous single secondary veins originating at MA at distal postdiscoidal area; postdiscoidal area with four rows of cells distal of discoidal triangle and over ten rows of small cells along posterior wing margin; MP and MA largely parallel; two rows of cells between MP and CuAa; CuAa with five well­defined posterior branches with a smaller branch originating from the third posterior branch; CuA reaching posterior wing margin at level with nodus; about ten rows of cells between CuAa and posterior wing margin; CuAb well­defined; median space free; submedian space apparently traversed only by Cup­crossing; hypertriangle with five crossveins; discoidal triangle longitudinally elongated, five­celled; oblique PsA between AA and MP+CuA weakly defined, slightly angled, appearing as an oblique cubito­anal crossvein rather than a secondary anterior branch of AA; subdiscoidal triangle divided into three cells by two cambered veins; large approximately pentagonal anal loop composed of nine cells, the basal side and the side between AA1b and CuAb smoothly connected and forming an arc, posteriorly closed; gaff prolonged; AA1b and AA1c distinct; anal margin rounded; a distinct concavity at wing margin at the end of RP 3/4; cells between the apex and the concavity along margin small and irregular.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Telmaeshna paradoxica gen. et sp. nov., holotype CNU­OD­LB 2004001 ­ 1, line drawing of hindwing (scale bar represents 10 mm)

FIGURE 2. Telmaeshna paradoxica gen. et sp. nov., photograph of holotype CNU­OD­LB 2004001 ­ 1, part (scale bar represents 10 mm)

FIGURE 3. Telmaeshna paradoxica gen. et sp. nov., photograph of holotype CNU­OD­LB 2004001 ­ 2, counterpart (scale bar represents 10 mm)