Oculephemeridae n. fam., a new mayfly family from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (Insecta, Ephemeroptera)

2023/01/19 by Xuhongyi Zheng, Zhi-Teng Chen · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Fossil Insects in Amber #Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy #Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution

paper · doi:10.1080/08912963.2023.2167603

openalex publication_date 2023/01/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/02/01

Abstract

Based on a well-preserved male imago, a new genus and species Oculephemera mazhenxingi n. gen. et n. sp. of Ephemeroptera are presented in this study. For its distinct characters on head, wings, legs and genitalia, especially the autapomorphies of fused turban eyes and three distal segments of forceps, we erect a new family Oculephemeridae n. fam. herein as the sixth ephemeropteran family discovered from Kachin amber. All the distinguishable characters of the new taxa are illustrated and described; detailed comparisons between related families are also given. The new taxa not only represent a unique clade of mayflies but also give us a chance to modify somehypothesess of the origin, evolution and dispersal of several related lineages.

Citations

• Age constraint on Burmese amber based on U–Pb dating of zircons

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• 2023 in paleoentomology [wikipedia]

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