Burmaphlebia reifigen. et sp. nov., the first anisozygopteran damsel-dragonfly (Odonata: Epiophlebioptera: Burmaphlebiidae fam. nov.) from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber

Abstract

A new family, genus and species of damselfly, Burmaphlebia reifi gen. et sp. nov. (Burmaphlebiidae fam. nov.), is described as the second fossil odonate from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. Its phylogenetic position is discussed and the fossil is attributed to a new family at the base of the anisozygopteran grade, probably closely related to the Recent relict group Epiophlebiidae. It is the first record of the ‘anisozygopteran’ grade from amber and the smallest known representative of this group.http://zoobank.org/6EFE7288-BD89-42F9-BFA5-804CE6B904A6

Keywords:

• Burmese amber
• Early Cretaceous
• Odonata
• Anisozygoptera
• fossil insect
• phylogeny

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to Karin Wolf-Schwenninger (SMNS, Stuttgart) for the preparation of the holotype specimen and help with the macro photos. We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that improved the manuscript.