Symphrasites, Wedmann & Makarkin, 2007

Wedmann, Sonja & Makarkin, Vladimir N., 2007, A new genus of Mantispidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Eocene of Germany, with a review of the fossil record and palaeobiogeography of the family, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 149 (4), pp. 701-716 : 704

GENUS SYMPHRASITES GEN. NOV.

Etymology: Symphras- (from Symphrasis , a mantispid genus-group name) + -ites (a traditional suffix of fossil genera), in reference to the symphrasine affinity of the genus. Gender masculine.

Type species: Symphrasites eocenicus sp. nov.

Included species: The type species only.

Diagnosis: In forewing MP deeply forked (17); trichosors present at most in apical portion of wing (18); R1 comparatively long (19); CuP deeply forked once (20); crossvein 2r-m present, connecting Rs1, MA proximal to gradate series of crossveins (21).

Remarks: We are confident of the placement of this genus in Symphrasinae , as it possesses important forewing diagnostic character states of this group (5)– (7), (9), and (10) (see diagnosis of the subfamily above). Some character states are not, however, available in the examined specimen [i.e. (8), (11), and (12)], as the basal portion of a wing is either lacking or strongly folded. In some other ways Symphrasites gen. nov. differs quite strongly from other known genera of the subfamily. Interestingly, a number of the character states of Symphrasites are derived with regard to the states of extant genera [characters (17), (18), and (20), see below].

Character state (17): MP is never deeply forked in any species of Mantispidae ; this is undoubtedly an autapomorphy of the genus/species. Alternatively, this may be an anomaly of this specimen. Only other specimens will resolve this.

Character state (18): The trichosors are present in all examined extant species of Symphrasinae . They are, however, sometimes not distinct, and therefore may be difficult to detect in impression/compression fossils. In any case, the appearance of trichosors in S. eocenicus is clearly less distinct than in most of the extant species.

Character state (19): In all examined species of the extant Symphrasinae , R1 enters the wing margin well before the apex; in S. eocenicus it enters more distad, almost near the apex. The condition of R1 entering the wing margin near the apex may be considered plesiomorphic, as it also occurs in Liassochrysa and Promantispa .

Character state (20): The structure of CuP in Symphrasites most resembles that of some species of Anchieta and Trichoscelia , where CuP is deeply forked once. However, the closely spaced branches of CuP as found in S. eocenicus do not occur in either Anchieta or Trichoscelia . In the other extant Symphrasinae , one of the branches of CuP is forked again, or the fork of CuP is not so deep, and its branches are not clearly parallel.

Character state (21): Crossvein 2m-r is absent in other species of Symphrasinae (as well as in the vast majority of other mantispids), and its presence in Symphrasites may be considered either as a plesiomorphy or as an autapomorphy of the genus. 2m-r also occurs in the Jurassic Liassochrysa , Promantispa and the extant Ditaxis , but in these genera 2m-r is a part of the inner, more basally located, gradate series of crossveins continuing from Rs to CuP (in Promantispa this series is incomplete). So, it is reasonable to assume that the crossvein 2m-r in these genera and Symphrasites appeared independently.