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

Abstract

Libanophlebotomites ramyi gen. et sp. nov. is characterised, illustrated, and described from the lower Barremian amber of Qanat Bakish (Baskinta, Lebanon). It represents the first phlebotomine fly with slightly ellipsoid head without bump on occiput, round wing tip, and legs very slightly shorter than body length. The discovery of this Cretaceous psychodid fly improves our knowledge of the palaeobiodiversity of sandflies.