Revision of the unique Early Cretaceous Mecoptera from Koonwarra (Australia) with description of a new genus and family

The study provides revision of three species of Mecoptera: Choristopanorpa drinnani Jell & Duncan, Cretacochorista parva Jell & Duncan, Prochoristella leongatha Jell & Duncan and one fossil specimen considered previously as Diptera (No. NMVP103336), described by Jell and Duncan (1986) from Koonwarra (Australia). Using fluorescence under UV light allowed the detailed studies of wings venations and led to reconsideration of taxonomical position of some specimens. New drawings, photographs and some description were made. Based on the unique early forking of M1+2, the species P. leongatha was transferred to the newly established genus Australochorista gen. nov. and the new family Australochoristidae fam. nov. The wing venation pattern of A. leongatha comb. nov. resembles that of Prochoristella Riek, but also shows characters not typical of Permochoristidae and possibly synapomorphic with some Panorpoidea (sensu Novokshonov, 2002), particularly of orthophlebiid and panorpoid grades. The phylogenetic relationships of Australochoristidae are not quite clear, but observed taxonomical characters do not support it as an ancestral group to any living group of Mecoptera including the Australian endemic Choristidae. This newly described family probably emerged in Australia and extinct without any recently living representatives. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.