A new genus of net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae) from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

Blephariceridae, or net-winged midges, are a small group of highly specialized flies with immatures adapted to torrential streams. The family is known since the Jurassic, but the fossil record is very poor, as is typical of rheophiles. Up to now, only four species of three Mesozoic genera have been described, all of them from Asia. This paper provides a description of a male of Zwickina minaevi gen. et sp. nov. (Ble-pharicerinae), from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber of northern Myanmar, and a brief discussion of the phylogenetic position of the new taxon. A key for identification of adults of extinct blepharicerid genera is included. (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Blephariceridae, or net-winged midges, are highly specialized flies with immatures adapted to torrential streams. The fossil record of this family is poor, with only four species of three Mesozoic genera described, all from Asia. This study describes a new male species of Zwickina minaevi gen. et sp. nov. from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber and discusses its phylogenetic position. A key for identification of adults of extinct blepharicerid genera is provided. (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.