A new genus and species of Apsilocephalidae (Asiloidea) with elongated mouthparts from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Abstract

A new genus and species, Creapsilocephala nagatomii gen. et sp. nov. assigned to the enigmatic family Apsilocephalidae, was described from Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The details of mouthpart structures in the new species are well preserved, revealing the non-piercing mouthparts that comprise an elongated labrum and tube-like hypopharynx, a pair of slender pointed laciniae, one-segmented palp, and prolonged labium. According to the analysis of mouthpart features, the food tube of the new species is constituted by the labrum and hypopharynx, which supports a nectar-feeding habit. This new finding enriches the species diversity of Cretaceous Apsilocephalidae and enhances the knowledge of the early biological features in this family.