Palleptoceridae fam. nov., an extinct leptoceroid family in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Insecta, Trichoptera)

Abstract

The family Palleptoceridae fam. nov. is proposed as a new extinct family of the superfamily Leptoceroidea. It is characterized by the absence of ocelli, the presence of five-segmented maxillary palps in both sexes, antennae longer than the forewings, and the tibial spur in the form of 2/4/4. The extinct Palleptoceridae is closely related to the leptoceroid family Leptoceridae, but the formula for the adult tibial spur is reduced from 2/4/4 to 2/2/4 (Morse, 1981). The Palleptocerus grimaldii sp. nov. from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is furthermore characterized by the sexual dimorphic wing venation. In the forewings, the apical forks I and V are present in the male and forks I, III, and V in the female; in the hind wings of both sexes, exclusively the apical fork V is present. The Leptoceroidea originated and evolved in Gondwana. Palleptocerus grimaldii sp. nov. is interpreted as a relict species of the Gondwanan Leptoceroidea in Burmese amber.