2018/08/04 by Elena D. Lukashevich · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Fossil Insects in Amber #Diptera species taxonomy and behavior #Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
paper · doi:10.1080/08912963.2018.1500568
openalex publication_date 2018/08/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/05
The structure of the male terminalia and their rotation are reviewed in both extinct and extant genera of Tanyderidae based on new observations and literature. The structure of gonostyli and parameres and the size of cerci show greater variation among extinct taxa than among the extant ones. A bifid aedeagus occurs in representatives of both tanyderid subfamilies, the modern nannotanyderine Peringueyomyina (and probably in Eocene Coramus) and the extinct tanyderines Macrochile and Similinannotanyderus. A trifid aedeagus, common in modern tanyderines, and a rare simple undivided aedeagus both appear to have evolved from it. The Triassic family Nadipteridae, supposedly ancestral to Tanyderidae, already displays rotation of male terminalia, suggesting that the latter is extremely ancient in Diptera and was probably inherited by Tanyderidae. Tanyderid genera vary in the presence of the rotation, number of involved segments and angle of rotation. Apparently it has been secondarily lost multiple times in the family. An astonishing similarity between the male hypopygia of extinct and extant Nannotanyderinae and that of the psychodid subfamily Horaiellinae is additionally discussed.