A braconid wasp (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of San Just, eastern Iberian Peninsula
Author
Alvarez-Parra, Sergio
Departament de Dinamica de la Terra i de l'Ocea and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Ciencies de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona, c / Marti i Franques s / n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
sergio.alvarez-parra@ub.edu
Author
Penalver, Enrique
Instituto Geologico y Minero de Espana-CSIC, c / Cirilo Amoros 42, 46004, Valencia, Spain
Author
Delclos, Xavier
Departament de Dinamica de la Terra i de l'Ocea and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Ciencies de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona, c / Marti i Franques s / n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
Author
Engel, Michael S.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3067-077X
Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1501 Crestline Drive - Suite 140, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 - 4415, USA & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA
text
ZooKeys
2022
2022-05-30
1103
65
78
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1103.83650
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1103.83650
1313-2970-1103-65
079C1F77A3AA4158AE535F510C8FA0BE
36885E99F28F59B186CE17BFB2F576A2
Utrillabracon electropteron
Alvarez-Parra
& Engel
sp. nov.
Fig. 2
Material.
Holotype
, MAP-7819 (SJE2012 49-04), sex unknown, from San Just amber. The
holotype
is largely preserved as the forewings and hind wings. Some parts of the head, an antenna, and a leg are next to the wings. Undetermined cuticular fragments are visible near the wings. Deposited in the
Museo
Aragones
de
Paleontologia
(
Fundacion
Conjunto
Paleontologico
de
Teruel-Dinopolis
) in Teruel,
Spain
. Syninclusions include three other hymenopterans (probable serphitid, platygastrid, and stigmaphronid wasps). The
holotype
is prepared isolated in an epoxy prism of 20
x
15 mm
.
Figure 2.
Utrillabracon electropteron
Alvarez-Parra
& Engel, gen. et sp. nov. (
Braconidae
, †
Protorhyssalinae
) from the upper Albian amber-bearing outcrop of San Just, specimen MAP-7819 (SJE2012 49-04).
A, B
photograph and drawing of preserved remains, both to the same scale
C
forewing venation
D
hind wing venation
E, F
photograph and drawing of tarsus and pretarsus, both to the same scale. Abbreviation: pt = pterostigma. Scale bars:
0.5 mm
(
A, B
);
0.2 mm
(
C, D
);
0.1 mm
(
E, F
).
Locality and horizon.
San Just amber-bearing outcrop, Utrillas, Teruel, Spain; Maestrazgo Basin, Escucha Formation, upper Albian (
Penalver
et al. 2007
).
Diagnosis.
As for the genus (
vide supra
).
Description.
Head deformed and incomplete as preserved (Fig.
2A, B
); antenna partially preserved with 11 flagellomeres covered by setae, multiporous plate sensilla not visible; only distal two maxillary palpomeres preserved, covered by fine setae. Forewings and venation rather complete (Fig.
2C
), forewing base not preserved, more than 1.31 mm long and 0.53 mm in its maximum width, margin bearing setae; C + Sc + R fused anterobasally, extending along wing margin to pterostigma; pterostigma 4
x
longer than wide (0.33 mm vs 0.08 mm); elongate marginal cell, 3
x
longer than wide (0.57 mm vs 0.19 mm), reaching wing apex; 1Rs relatively long and curved; Rs + M slightly sinuous; first submarginal cell 2
x
longer than wide (0.31 mm vs 0.15 mm), pentagonal; 2Rs slightly sinuous; r-rs oblique, arising medially from pterostigma, 0.08 mm long; 3Rs extending nearly straight until wing margin, 0.55 mm long; r-rs several times longer than abscissa of M between 2Rs and m-cu; 1M curved, 2
x
longer than 1Rs (0.14 mm vs 0.07 mm); 2M straight, 0.38 mm long; almost straight 3M, disappearing before wing margin; rs-m nebulous, 0.13 mm long; elongate, pentagonal second submarginal cell, 3
x
longer than wide (0.38 mm vs 0.13 mm); trapezoidal third submarginal cell, 0.31 mm long; first discal cell almost 2
x
longer than wide (0.21 mm vs 0.12 mm); m-cu distinctly postfurcal (absence of a vein 2Rs + M), 0.12 mm long; lacking 2m-cu; elongate second discal cell, 0.63 mm long; cu-a (nervulus) slightly postfurcal (therefore presence of an exceptionally short 1Cua), 0.06 mm long, perpendicular to 1Cu and A; 1Cu nearly straight, 0.14 mm long; 2Cu strongly curved basally separating 2Cua (0.05 mm long) and 2Cub, latter curved and directed towards wing margin (but without meeting margin); first subdiscal cell 2
x
longer than wide (0.13 mm vs 0.07 mm); elongate and narrow second subdiscal cell; A tubular and nearly straight; 1a and 2a not visible. Hind wings and venation rather complete (Fig.
2D
), hind wing base not preserved, more than 0.94 mm long and 0.23 mm at its maximum width, margin bearing setae; Sc + R fused anterobasally; R1 distally widened with several hamuli beyond its apex; Sc + R not aligned with Rs; 1M short, 0.05 long; rs-m oblique, 0.07 mm long; Rs and M ending as nebulous veins before margin; 1Cu + cu-a inclivitous, 0.03 mm long; short 2Cu, not contacting wing margin. Two fragments of legs visible: a partial femur and a tarsus; four distal tarsomeres preserved covered by fine setae (Fig.
2E, F
), tarsomere III 0.06 mm long, tarsomere IV 0.04 mm long, tarsomere V 0.08 mm long; pretarsus with paired claws, preapical tooth absent, arolium wide.
Etymology.
The specific epithet is a combination of the Greek
ἤλεκτρον
(
elektron
), meaning,
"amber"
, and
πτηνόν
(
pteron
), meaning, "winged creature", and referring to the fact that the holotype is mainly preserved by the wings in amber.