Dpt. d'Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines (Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona). C/ Martí i Franqués s/n. 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract: The diversity of serphitid wasps (Proctotrupomorpha: Serphitoidea) in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Spain is described. Four new species have been found representing the genera Serphites Brues 1937, Aposerphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979, and Microserphites Kozlov and Rasnitsyn 1979. From the Peñacerrada I (Moraza) outcrop two species are described as Aposerphites angustus Ortega-Blanco, Delclòs, Peñalver and Engel, new species and Serphites lamiak, new species. A single species was found at the San Just (Teruel) outcrop and is described as S. silban, new species. Another single specimen was found in El Soplao (Cantabria) outcrop, described as Microserphites soplaensis, new species. This last specimen is especially interesting in sharing typical serphitid and mymarommatoid characters, giving additional support to the apparent close relationship of both groups.
Abstract: Over the past six years, organic inclusions preserved in amber samples from outcrops worldwide have been discovered and imaged in 3D using propagation phase contrast based X-ray synchrotron imaging techniques at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). A brief description of the techniques and protocols used for detecting and 3D non-destructive imaging of amber inclusions is provided. The latest results from the major amber projects in the ESRF are given, illustrating the increasing utility of the imaging capabilities of X-ray synchrotron phase contrast microtomography.
Abstract: One new genus and five new species of the family Evaniidae are described from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) Spanish amber of Peñacerrada-I (Province of Burgos), San Just and Arroyo de la Pascueta (both in the
Province of Teruel): Cretevania alonsoi sp. nov., C. montoyai sp. nov., C. alcalai sp. nov., C. rubusensis sp. nov., and Iberoevania roblesi gen. and sp. nov. Taxonomic changes include Cretevania pristina (Zhang and Zhang, 2000) comb. nov., C. exquisita (Zhang, Rasnitsyn, Wang and Zhang, 2007) comb. nov., C. vesca (Zhang, Rasnitsyn, Wang and Zhang, 2007) comb. nov., and C. cyrtocerca (Deans, 2004) comb. nov., as a result of the reinterpretation of the genera Procretevania and Eovernevania. The new well preserved specimens of the genus Cretevania, together with the characters shown by the type specimens of the synonymized genera, give new information about their anatomical characters of taxonomical importance, and the genus Cretevania Rasnitsyn, 1975 is re-diagnosed. The holotypes of the Russian species in amber have been revised. A cladistic analysis of fossil and extant groups of the superfamily Evanioidea is included. Cretevania had a wide palaeogeographic distribution, with the highest diversity known from Spain. The 13 known Cretevania species show a high interspecific variation mainly in wing characteristics, and a wide range of body and wing size.
Abstract: Radiophronidae, a new ceraphronoid fossil family including two new genera and species, is described here from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from the Basque Cantabrian Basin (Spain). Radiophron ibericus gen. et sp. nov. and Microcostaphron parvus gen. et sp. nov. are described from eight and one specimens respectively. The new fossils show some similarities with the extinct family Stigmaphronidae but are distinguished from it and the extant ceraphronoids mainly by the presence of not fused radial and costal veins, among other characteristics. A first cladistic analysis retrieves Radiophronidae as the basal sisterâgroup to all other ceraphronoids (Ceraphronidae, Megaspilidae, and Stigmaphronidae).
Abstract: The first tiphiid wasp (Aculeata: Euaculeata: Vespoidea: Tiphiiformes) in Cretaceous amber is described and figured. Thanatotiphia nyx, new genus and species, is represented by a male entombed in mid-Cretaceous (latest Albian) amber from Myanmar. Thanatotiphia possesses remarkable apomorphies in wing venation, lacks key traits of modern subfamilies, and is thus classified in a new subfamily, Thanatotiphiinae. The fossil is further shown to be nested well within the family, indicating that major lineages of Tiphiidae diverged by the mid-Cretaceous. The new taxon is compared with modern tiphiid subfamilies and the sparse fossil history of the family briefly overviewed.
Abstract: A description of a new genus and species of braconid, Archephedrus stolamissus, from Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Moraza-PenËacerrada I (Spain) is here provided. This is the first fossil Aphidiinae described in Cretaceous amber. The fossil has some typical characters of the subfamily but possesses a unique assemblage of characters among aphidiines, such as a fairly robust abdomen, with a more pronounced articulation between the first and second, instead of the second and third, metasomal segments, as well as several wing venational traits. The distribution of this and other aphidiine fossils, as well as their putative phylogenetic placement as basal among Aphidiinae, is discussed, supporting a Northern rather than Southern Hemisphere origin for the lineage.
Abstract: The fossil crown wasp Electrostephanus petiolatus Brues comb. rev. (Stephanidae, Electrostephaninae) is redescribed from a single male preserved in middle Eocene Baltic Amber. The holotype was lost or destroyed
around the time of World War II and subsequent interpretations of its identity have been based solely on the brief descriptive comments provided by Brues in his original account. The new specimen matches the original description and illustration provided by Brues in every detail and we hereby consider them to be conspecific, selecting the specimen as a neotype for the purpose of stabilizing the nomenclature for this fossil species. This neotype exhibits a free first metasomal tergum and sternum, contrary to the assertion of previous workers who indicated these to be fused. Accordingly, this species does indeed belong to the genus Electrostephanus Brues rather than to Denaeostephanus Engel & Grimaldi (Stephaninae). Electrostephanus petiolatus is transferred to a new subgenus, Electrostephanodes n. subgen., based on its elongate pseudopetiole and slender gaster, but may eventually warrant generic status as the phylogenetic placement of these fossil lineages continues to be clarified. A revised key to the Baltic amber crown wasps is provided.
Abstract: A new species of the family Anaxyelidae (Eosyntexis parva n. sp.) is described. This is the first record of the family from Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber. The specimen is mostly well preserved, except for dorsally. This makes it possible to identify several important details rarely or never observed in compression fossils. Eosyntexis spp. and the closely related genus Cretosyntexis are confined to the Eurasian Lower Cretaceous, whereas the extant monotypic genus Syntexis is restricted to western North America. The morphology of this new species suggests xylophagous habitus, and its relation with Syntexis libocedrii implies a possible relationship with burned wood, apparently a frequently available resource in northern Spanish forests of the Lower Cretaceous.
