The mid-Cretaceous crown wasp genus †Tumidistephanus Ge & Tan: discovery of the first male and a new species (Hymenoptera, Stephanidae).

Abstract

The fossil crown wasp †Tumidistephanusepimetheus sp. nov. is described based on a well-preserved male specimen embedded in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. This discovery adds to the growing diversity of the extinct subfamily †Lagenostephaninae, representing its fourth known species. Notably, it constitutes only the second male specimen described within this lineage, offering valuable insight into the morphological characteristics and potential sexual dimorphism in early crown wasps.