The youngest record of Priscaenigmatidae (Insecta: Neuropterida) from the Mesozoic of Kazakhstan and Russia

ABSTRACT

Two new genera and species of enigmatic neuropteroid insects, Sukachevia pulchra gen. et sp. nov. and Cretohondelagia viridis gen. et sp. nov., belonging to the family Priscaenigmatidae, considered by some to be the basalmost snakeflies (Raphidioptera), are described from the Upper Jurassic of Kazakhstan and the Lower Cretaceous of Russia correspondingly. Up to now Priscaenigmatidae has been recorded only from the Lower Jurassic of Europe, so new findings significantly extend the fossil record of this family. The first record of Raphidioptera from the Triassic is provided in the context of discussion of the phylogenetic position of Priscaenigmatidae.

KEYWORDS:

• Raphidioptera
• Priscaenigmatidae
• Neuropterida
• fossil insects
• Cretaceous period

Acknowledgments

I am very grateful to Alexey S. Bashkuev (Borissiak Paleontological institute, Moscow, Russia) for the photos of the Triassic snakefly from Germany. This work was supported by RFBR grant No. 18-04-00322.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number [18-04-00322].