The first water treader (Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae) from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber

Myanmarvelia pankowskiorum gen. et sp. nov., is the first occurrence of the aquatic bug family Mesoveliidae in the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. This new taxon is described and illustrated based on a well-preserved female specimen. Although numerous morphological characters confirm its placement in the Mesoveliidae its position within the family is unclear. The presence of claws inserted pre-apically and head extended in front of eyes would suggest a placement in the Mesoveliinae but we consider it putative. The fossil record of this family is very poor, ranging between the late Jurassic and the Miocene.

Automated summary

Myanmarvelia pankowskiorum is a new species of aquatic bug in the family Mesoveliidae, discovered in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, marking the first occurrence of the family in this time period. Its exact position within the family is still uncertain, although several morphological characteristics confirm its placement in the Mesoveliidae. The fossil record for this family is rare, ranging from the late Jurassic to the Miocene.