Pseudosmylidia relicta, Makarkin, Vladimir N., 2017

Makarkin, Vladimir N., 2017, A remarkable new genus of Protosmylinae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) from late Eocene Florissant, Colorado, Zootaxa 4268 (4), pp. 581-587 : 582-583

Pseudosmylidia relicta sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2

Description. Head visible in lateral view, with vertex slightly raised, eyes relatively small; antennae probably incompletely preserved, with scapus not enlarged. Prothorax relatively short. Other parts of body, legs poorly preserved (details not visible).

Forewing oval, 12.1 mm long, 4.7 mm wide. Costal space broad, broadest approximately at proximal 1/5; rather abruptly narrowed basad, radually narrowed distad. Subcostal veinlets moderately widely spaced; simple proximally, shallowly forked distally (some veinlets poorly preserved). ScP, RA fused far from wing apex. ScP+RA entering margin before from wing apex. Veinlets of ScP+RA poorly preserved; at least forked once. Subcostal space poorly preserved, narrow. RA space moderately broad, with five detected crossveins (more crossveins possible). RP with nine branches. RP1 originated rather close to origin of RP. All branches of RP shallowly forked (far distad outer gradate series of crossveins), mostly dichotomous. M forked at level of origin of RP2. MA, MP dichotomously forked slightly distad outer gradate series of crossveins. Cu rather long, dividing into CuA, CuP relatively far from wing base. Anterior trace of CuA shallowly trident-like forked, with four shallowlyforked pectinate branches (termination of two proximal-most branches poorly visible). CuP few pectinate, with two shallowly forked branches (terminations poorly preserved). AA1 pectinate, with four oblique branched; all probably shallowly forked. AA2 poorly preserved, probably few branched. AA3 not detected. All preserved crossveins in radial to mediocubital spaces arranged in four gradate series. Three crossveins detected between CuA, CuP. Trichosors prominent along outer wing margin; basally indistinct or absent. Nygmata not detected. Color pattern probably absent.

Hind wing very poorly preserved, ca. 10.5–11 mm long, 4.0 mm wide. RP with nine branches. Radial crossveins mostly arranged in three gradate series. CuP short, simple or forked once (poorly preserved). AA1 probably pectinate ( Fig. 2 C).

Type material. Holotype UCM 85899 (only part), likely collected by T.D.A. Cockerell, and deposited in UCM. A nearly complete, rather poorly preserved specimen with all four wings overlapping. Written on the rock is “W14”, indicating one of Cockerell’s collecting localities at Florissant (T. Karim, pers. com.).

Type locality and horizon. U.S.A.: Colorado: Florissant ( UCM locality No. 83014); late Eocene.

Etymology. From the Latin relictus, - a, - um - abandoned, referring to relict nature of this species.

Remarks. Only one forewing is rather distinctly preserved and allows a detailed drawing. The other forewing and the hind wings are poorly preserved. Many details of the hind wings are difficult to separate.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The holotype UCM 85899 of Pseudosmylidia relicta gen. et sp. nov. Scale bar = 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. The holotype UCM 85899 of Pseudosmylidia relicta gen. et sp. nov. A, photograph of wings taken with a polarized filter. B, forewing venation. C, portion of wings showing the hind wing CuP and AA 1 (hm, hind margin of hind wing). All converted to standard view, with apex to the right. Scale bars = 1 mm (A, B), 0.5 mm (C).