New fossil records of Xyelidae (Hymenoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China

  • Yan Zheng Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Shuangling Rd., Linyi 276000, China
  • Haiyan Hu School of Agronomy and Environment, Weifang University of Science and Techonoly, Jinguang Road, Shouguang, 262700, China
  • Dong Chen School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
  • Jun Chen Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Shuangling Rd., Linyi 276000, China
  • Haichun Zhang State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China
  • Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn Palaeontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647, Russia
Keywords: Mesozoic, fossil insects, Daohugou, taxonomy, new taxon

Abstract

A new genus and two new species of Xyelidae Newman, 1834 (Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758), Platyxyela tenuis sp. nov. and Scleroxyela daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Beds of Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China. Platyxyela tenuis sp. nov. (Xyelinae Newman, 1834, Liadoxyelini Rasnitsyn, 1966) can be distinguished from its congeners by short forewing length and ovipositor sheath strongly narrowed toward acute apex. Scleroxyela daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov. is placed within Macroxyelinae Ashmead, 1898, Xyeleciini Benson, 1945 based on pterositigma completely sclerotised and costal space sclerotised before ptrostigma, 1-Rs half as long as 1-M, and 1m-cu short. It is the first recorded species of Xyeleciini in Daohugou Beds. Furthermore, an updated key of identification of subfamilies and tribes of Xyelidae is provided. Our findings of new morphological data provide insights into the early evolution of Hymenoptera, as well as effectively enrich our understanding of the diversity of Xyelidae in the Mesozoic.

 

A correction has been published: Zheng Y., Hu H., Chen D., Chen J., Zhang H. & Rasnitsyn A.P. 2023. New fossil records of Xyelidae (Hymenoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China – Corrigendum. European Journal of Taxonomy 860: 181–182. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2023.860.2059

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Published
2021-02-09
How to Cite
Zheng, Y., Hu, H., Chen, D., Chen, J., Zhang, H., & Rasnitsyn, A. P. (2021). New fossil records of Xyelidae (Hymenoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. European Journal of Taxonomy, 733(1), 146-159. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.733.1229
Section
Research article