Jurassipanorpa sticta Ding, Shih & Ren

Ding, He, Shih, Chungkun, Bashkuev, Alexei, Zhao, Yunyun & Ren, Dong, 2014, The earliest fossil record of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China, ZooKeys 431, pp. 79-92 : 82-83

Taxon classification Animalia Mecoptera Panorpidae

Jurassipanorpa sticta Ding, Shih & Ren sp. n. Figs 3, 4

Etymology.

From the Greek stiktos, meaning spotted, referring to various spots and fasciae on wings.

Holotype.

CNU-MEC-NN-2013007 P/C, part and counterpart, sex unknown, well- preserved fore- and hind wings, but abdomen indiscernible.

Paratype.

CNU-MEC-NN-2013011, sex unknown, anal part of forewings well- persevered.

Locality and horizon.

Jiulongshan Formation, late Middle Jurassic; Daohugou Village, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China.

Diagnosis.

On both fore- and hind wings, Rs1+2 longer than Rs1a+1b and Rs1+2 longer than Rs3+4. Rs and M forking at the same level on forewing but Rs forking proximad of M forking on hind wing. All wings with scattered dark spots and fasciae.

Description.

Mainly based on Holotype, unless indicated as paratype. A well-preserved adult fossil, sex unknown. Right forewing and hind wing nearly overlapping entirely, but most veins discernible, left forewing and right wings partially overlapping, left hind wing well preserved (Figs 3A, B, 4A).

Head: Head capsule with prolonged downward mouthparts as modern panorpids. Compound eyes large and oval; ocelli untraceable; antennae filiform, with 25 segments as preserved.

Thorax: poorly preserved (Figs 3 A–C, 4A), only prothorax and part mesothorax recognizable. Few setae on tergum.

Legs: Densely covered with short setae; one mid leg not preserved; coxae and trochanters of all legs not preserved; femur and tibia long; two long tibial spurs present on a fore leg, one tibial spur present on a hind leg and one of them incomplete on a mid leg.

Abdomen: Indiscernible.

Wings: Forewing, 11 mm long with a maximum width of 3.9 mm, with scattered dark spots and fasciae (Figs 3 A–C, 4A, C, E) with a different pattern from those of extant Panorpidae . Sc long, reaching anterior wing margin beyond one-half of wing length; one crossvein between Sc and R1 located nearly of mid-length of Sc; R1 long with two branches; one crossvein between R1 and Rs1; Rs with five branches, originating from R1 nearly basal 1/3 of forewing length; Rs1 forking into Rs1a and Rs1b; one crossvein between Rs1b and Rs2; two crossveins between Rs2 and Rs3; Rs1+2 forking distad to Rs3+4 forking; one crossvein between Rs3 and Rs4; Rs and M forking at almost the same level; one crossvein between Rs4 and M1; M with four branches; one crossvein between M1 and M2; M3+4 shorter than M1+2; one crossvein between M2 and M3; Cu1 not fusing with M basally, but joining M4 by a oblique crossvein; Cu1 fusing with Cu2 basally and one crossvein between Cu1 and Cu2; 1A long, reaching posterior wing margin distad to the origination of Rs from R1; 2A and 3A short; long and robust setae ranging from 0.15 to 0.38 mm in length, present on veins 1A, 2A and 3A of holotype and paratype (Fig. 4E, F). Left hind wing extended, right hind wing covered by the right forewing, incomplete; hind wing 9 mm long with a maximal width of 3.2 mm, smaller than forewing distinctly, of similar shape and veins (Figs 3A, B, 4A, D); but fasciae much reduced. Sc short, reaching anterior wing margin beyond one-half of wing length; one crossvein between Sc and R1; R1 long without forking; Rs with five branches; Rs1 forking into Rs1a and Rs1b; one crossvein between Rs1b and Rs2; Rs1 shorter than Rs1+2; one crossvein between Rs2 and Rs3; Rs1+2 forking distad to Rs3+4 forking; one crossvein between Rs3 and Rs4; M furcating distad to the Rs forking; one crossvein between Rs4 and M1; M with four branches; one crossvein between M2 and M3; M3+4 shorter than M1+2; one crossvein between M3 and M4; Cu1 coalesced with M basally; no crossveins present between M and Cu1; anal veins not discernible on hind wing due to poor preservation.

Comparison.

Jurassipanorpa sticta sp. n. is differentiated from Jurassipanorpa impunctata gen. et sp. n. by the following characters: (1) Jurassipanorpa sticta with various spots and fasciae (vs. Jurassipanorpa impunctata without spots and fasciae); (2) Rs1+2 longer than Rs1a+1b (vs. Rs1+2 shorter than Rs1a+1b); (3) Rs1+2 longer than Rs3+4 (vs. Rs1+2 shorter than Rs3+4) (4) Rs and M forking at the same level on forewing, but Rs furcating proximad of M forking on hind wing (vs. Rs and M forking at the same level on both fore- and hind wing).