Revision of the genus Mesotipula Handlirsch, 1920 (Diptera, Limoniidae, Architipulinae) from the Lower Jurassic of Northeast Germany

ABSTRACT

We revise the genus Mesotipula Handlirsch, 1920 (Diptera, Limoniidae) described from the Lower Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) of Northeast Germany. Mesotipula was originally separated from other Architipulinae on the base of a bifurcated vein M₃, which appeared artificial after the restudy of its holotype. Holotypes of all Limoniidae described by Handlirsch and Krzeminski and Zessin from the Lower Toarcian deposits of Northeast Germany (Dobbertin and Grimmen) are revised to provide an updated diagnosis of Mesotipula and to distinguish it from other genera. As a result, the following species described by Handlirsch within the genus Architipula are transferred to the genus Mesotipula: A. geinitzi Handlirsch syn. nov., A. minuta Handlirsch comb. nov. and A. parva Handlirsch syn. nov. In addition Eotipula lapidaria Handlirsch is also transferred to Mesotipula. Now we regard six species of Mesotipula as being valid in the Lower Toarcian of Northeast Germany.

KEYWORDS:

• Limoniidae
• Mesozoic
• taxonomy
• Architipula
• Mesotipula

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Robert Coram and Vladimir Blagoderov for valuable remarks and thorough reviews. We thank Stefan Meng, University of Greifswald for access to the Handlirsch type collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Science Centre of Poland under Grant No. UMO-2016/23/B/NZ8/00936.