Jurassipanorpa impunctata 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 : 80-82

Taxon classification Animalia Mecoptera Panorpidae

Jurassipanorpa impunctata Ding, Shih & Ren sp. n. Figs 1, 2

Etymology.

From the Latin impunctata, meaning no spots, referring to the fact that no spots and fasciae on all wings.

Holotype.

CNU-MEC-NN-2013006, a well-preserved female specimen with body and wings, but legs poorly preserved.

Paratype.

CNU-MEC-NN-2013012 P/C, sex unknown, with well-preserved legs, but four wings overlapping almost entirely and abdomen partially preserved.

Locality and horizon.

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

Diagnosis.

On both fore- and hind wings, Rs1+2 shorter than Rs1a+1b, Rs1+2 shorter than Rs3+4, Rs and M forking at the same level and no spots or fasciae.

Description.

Mainly based on Holotype, unless indicated as paratype. A well-preserved female adult fossil. Body 12 mm long. Forewing and hind wing overlapping almost entirely, but most of veins discernible. Thorax and abdomen preserved, but head poorly preserved. Legs poorly preserved, with only few fragments (Figs 1A, 2A, 2 C–F).

Head: Head capsule with downward extended mouthparts; compound eyes large and oval, three ocelli present (Figs 1A, 2A); Antennae filiform in paratype (Figs 1C, 2B).

Thorax: In dorsal view, 2.9 mm long, two setae on pronotum as preserved. Pronotum, mesonotum, metanotum clearly discernible. Meso- and metanotum about the same size; larger than pronotum.

Abdomen: In dorsal view, 9 mm long, tapering apically, with eleven visible segments; segments IX-XI more slender and shorter than segments II-VI. Cerci not preserved. Sterna visible in segments II-VI.

Legs: Densely covered with short setae, two long tibial spurs preserved in a mid leg, one tibial spur preserved in a fore leg and two hind legs in paratype (Figs 1C, 2B).

Wings: Venation similar to venation of Panorpa . Forewing (Figs 1A, 2A, B, C, D, F) 14 mm long with a maximal width of 4 mm, longer than the abdomen; Sc terminating at anterior margin near the middle of the wing; one distally located crossvein between Sc and R1; R1 long, branching and curving around pterostigma; one crossvein present between R1 and Rs1; Rs with five branches; Rs1 forking into Rs1a and Rs1b; Rs1 and Rs3+4 forking nearly at the same level; Rs1+2 forking proximad of Rs3+4 forking; one crossvein between Rs3+4 and M1+2; Rs and M forking at the same level; M with four branches; M3+4 shorter than M1+2; Cu1 not fusing with M basally; one crossvein present between Cu1 and Cu2; 1A long, reaching posterior wing margin beyond the forking of Rs from R1; one crossvein between 1A and 2A; 2A and 3A long, one crossvein between 2A and 3A; long and robust setae ranging from 0.09 to 0.17 mm in length, present on veins 1A, 2A and 3A (Figs 1B, D, 2D, F). Hind wing (Figs 1A, 2A, E), 12.3 mm long with a maximal width of 3.9 mm, smaller than forewing distinctly, of similar shape and veins; Sc short, reaching anterior wing margin before one-half wing length; one crossvein present between Sc and R1; R1 without forking; Rs with five branches; Rs and M forking at almost the same level; one crossvein present between R1 and Rs1; Rs1 forking into Rs1a and Rs1b; one crossvein between Rs1b and Rs2; Rs2 without forking; one crossvein between Rs2 and Rs3; Rs1+2 forking proximad of Rs3+4 forking; one crossvein between Rs3 and Rs4; M1+2 forking proximad of Rs3+4 forking; one crossvein between Rs3+4 and M1+2 and 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 and between M3 and M4 respectively; Cu1 coalesced with M basally; one crossvein between M4 and Cu1; no crossveins between anal veins.