New fossil from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber confirms monophyly of Liadopsyllidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

Abstract Amecephala pusilla gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated on the basis of a well-preserved female psyllid (Liadopsyllidae) in a piece of Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus differs from other members of Liadopsyllidae in details of the antennae and forewings. For the first time,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jowita Drohojowska, Jacek Szwedo, Patrick Müller, Daniel Burckhardt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2020-10-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74551-6
Description
Summary:Abstract Amecephala pusilla gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated on the basis of a well-preserved female psyllid (Liadopsyllidae) in a piece of Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus differs from other members of Liadopsyllidae in details of the antennae and forewings. For the first time, the presence of a circumanal ring is documented for Mesozoic psyllids. Based on differences in the length of female terminalia, it is suggested that Liadopsyllidae may have displayed a diversified oviposition biology. As far as known, Liadopsyllidae lack a pulvillus, a putative autapomorphy supporting the monophyly of Liadopsyllidae. An identification key to genera and an annotated checklist of known Liadopsyllidae species are provided. New synonyms and combinations are proposed and the status of the subfamily Miralinae is discussed.
ISSN:2045-2322