Xenophlebotomites eliei, a new genus and species of phlebotomine sandflies from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Abstract

Xenophlebotomites eliei n. gen. n. sp. is characterized after a male and female individuals, illustrated, and described from the lower Barremian amber of Hammana/Mdeyrij, central Lebanon. It represents the first phlebotomine fly from Lebanese amber with an incomplete r1-r2+3 cross-vein without reaching R1, wing wide with round tip, and legs relatively short, slightly longer than body length. This phlebotomine has very developed piercing mouthparts and palps bearing Newstead’s sensilla assembled on the fourth palpomere suggesting haematophagous life-mode. The discovery of this Cretaceous psychodid fly constitutes the seventh phlebotomine discovered from the Lebanese amber and improves our knowledge of the palaeobiodiversity of sandflies during the Lower Cretaceous.