Sakhalinencyrtus leleji Simutnik gen. et sp. nov. of earliest Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) from Sakhalinian amber

Another earliest representative of the family Encyrtidae, Sakhalinencyrtus leleji Simutnik gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on a male specimen from the middle Eocene Sakhalinian amber. Similarly to other Encyrtidae from Sakhalinian amber, the new fossil fundamentally differs from encyrtids from late Eocene European ambers as well as from modern ones. Moreover, it probably belongs to a stem group of the family. The new genus is characterized by extremely apical position of cerci, long veins of the forewing with expanded parastigma, stigmal vein with long uncus, and absence of filum spinosum. The forewing venation of the new genus is very similar to that of Sugonjaevia Simutnik, 2015, but these genera differ by the structure of Mt8, hypopygium, genitalia, and clava.

Automated summary

The newly discovered Sakhalinencyrtus leleji Simutnik belongs to an early representative of the family Encyrtidae, and fundamentally differs from encyrtids from late Eocene European ambers as well as modern species in terms of characteristics.