Anomopterellidae restored, with two new genera and its phylogeny in Evanioidea (Hymenoptera)

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 10;8(12):e82587. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082587. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Background: Anomopterellidae was originally classified as a family within the Evanioidea, and later lowered to a subfamily, Anomopterellinae, of Praeaulacidae. Up to date, only Rasnitsyn 1975, with four species, was assigned to Anomopterellinae. Due to their special wing venation and their metasomal attachment similar to those known in Evanioidea, the systematic position of Anomopterellinae in Evanioidea has been in contention.

Principal findings: Here we report a new fossil genus Synaphopterella gen. nov. and six species from the Middle Jurassic of China and transfer Anomopterella stenocera Rasnitsyn, 1975, from Upper Jurassic of Kazakhstan, to Choristopterella gen. nov. We place these three genera in the restored family Anomopterellidae and provide a key to known genera and species.

Conclusions/significance: Based on new fossil specimens and phylogenetic analyses, Praeaulacidae has the most basal position in Evanioidea and it is justifiable to restore Anomopterellidae Rasnitsyn, 1975 as a full family. Comparing the size of all described anomopterellids from China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, we conclude that the species from China have larger bodies and forewings. Diversity of the Praeaulacidae and Anomopterellidae in the late Middle Jurassic of Daohugou suggests that Evanioidea appeared at least before the late Middle Jurassic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • Fossils*
  • Hymenoptera / classification*
  • Phylogeny*

Grants and funding

This program of research has been financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.31071964, 40872022), Beijing Natural Science Foundation Program (No.5082002), and Key Project of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. For Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn, this work was partially supported by the Presidium RAS Program “Origin of biosphere and evolution of the geo-biological systems.” The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.