Trifionychidae sp. indet., 2022

Lepeco, Anderson, Barbosa, Diego N. & Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2022, A remarkable new family of stinging wasps from the Cretaceous of Myanmar and China (Hymenoptera, Aculeata), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 94, pp. 163-190 : 163

† Trifionychidae sp. indet.

Fig. 7

Comments.

We refer here to a female belonging to † Trifionychidae fam. nov., found in amber piece DZUP Bur-332 and represented by the head, most of the mesosoma and fragments of the metasoma. The female is clearly a representative of the new family due to the presence of nine flagellomeres; characteristically curved mandibles; frons protruding over lateral portions of clypeus; and trifid tarsal claws. The specimen is interesting for the presence of a dissected sting apparatus and for having the head plus the propleura and fore legs detached from the remainder of the body. The parts are very close to the body, and are congruent to what is found in other representatives of the family. The anterior portion of its mesopleura can be observed without obstruction and it is possible to see that it lacks a prepectus. The whole region forms an entire sclerite without any indication of articulation or line of fusion of the prepectus with the mesopleura. In relation to the sting apparatus, although most of the sclerites associated to the sting are lost or scattered through the piece, the characteristic upward curvature of the sting shaft can be visualized (Fig. 7D ). We opted to not describe this inclusion as a new taxon or assign it to any species of † Trifionychidae fam. nov., due to the absence of forewings, which are essential to differentiate genera within the family. Nevertheless, the specimen seems to be more related to † Tryfionyximus gen. nov., due to the relatively small clypeus, trifid claws and the propodeum lacking a box-shape aspect and without transverse depression between spiracles.

Figures

Figure 7. † Trifionychidae sp. indet. (DZUP Bur- 332) A general view of head and mesosoma B head, dorsal view C mesosoma, ventral view D detail of sting. Scale bar: 1 mm (A); 0.5 mm (B-D).