Sinorhagio, Zhang, Kuiyan, Yang, Ding & Ren, Dong, 2006

Zhang, Kuiyan, Yang, Ding & Ren, Dong, 2006, The first snipe fly (Diptera: Rhagionidae) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China, Zootaxa 1134, pp. 51-57 : 53-54

Genus Sinorhagio gen. nov.

Type species. Sinorhagio daohugouensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Flagellum long, nearly spine­like, tapering toward tip. Crossvein h located at middle of cell c and slightly beyond origin of Rs. Mouths of cell sc, cell r1 and cell r2+3 subequal in width; mouth of cell r4 much narrower than that of cell r2+3. Vein R2+3 long, straight apically; vein R5 ending slightly beyond wing tip. Rs nearly as long as trunk of R4+R5. Veins M1 and M2 convergent basally at cell d; vein CuA1 present and arising from cell bm (= basal medial). Cell cup closed with a short petiole apically.

Distribution. The genus is known from China only and is currently represented by one species.

Etymology. From Greek Sin ( China) and the genus Rhagio .

Remarks. Among the four known genera, Sinorhagio gen. nov. is more similar to Kubekovia Kovalev, 1985 and Palaeobrachyceron Kovalev, 1981 . The new genus could be placed next to Kubekovia Kovalev (including only one known species) as they are similar in the following characters: Rs long, cell r4 long, vein R5 ending slightly beyond wing tip, cell d slender, and mouth of cell m3 open wide. Both genera belong to the same geologic age, the Middle Jurassic. But Sinorhagio is is easily separated from Kubekovia Kovalev, 1985 by having crossvein h located at middle of cell c and slightly distal of the origin of Rs, the mouth of the cell r1 is nearly as wide as that of the cell r2+3, veins M1 and M2 are convergent basally at cell d, and the cell cup is closed with a short petiole apically. In Kubekovia , crossvein h is located at base of cell c and slightly proximal of the origin of Rs, the mouth of cell r1 is wider, the position of M2 is normal, and the cell cup is nearly closed without a petiole ( Kalugina & Kovalev 1985, Nagatomi & Yang 1998).

The wing venation of Sinorhagio gen. nov. is similar to that of Palaeobrachyceron Kovalev, 1981 in having veins M1 and M2 convergent basally at cell d, cell cup is closed with a short petiole apically, but can be distinguished from Palaeobrachyceron by the long spine­like antenna, vein R2+3 long and straight apically, the mouth of cell r1 nearly as wide as that of cell r2+3, and cell bm and cell d slender. In Palaeobrachyceron , the antennal flagellum is coniform with a rather thick base, vein R2+3 is curved upward apically, the mouth of cell r2+3 is wider, cell bm is larger, and cell d is shorter and wider ( Kovalev 1981, Nagatomi & Yang 1998).