Remarkable new fossil species of Schistostoma Becker (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Microphorinae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.

Two closely related and distinctive species of Schistostoma Becker, i.e. Schistostoma burmanicum sp. nov. and Schistostoma foliatum sp. nov., are described from two male specimens preserved in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber and recorded as the first known fossil representatives of this extant genus of Microphorinae. Both species possess greatly enlarged lamellate fore tibiae and modified leg chaetotaxy that are presumably male secondary sexual features. The generic limits of Schistostoma are briefly discussed and a rationale for the inclusion of these new species is provided.

[1]  Matthew A. Bertone.  Manual of Afrotropical Diptera, Volume 1: Introductory Chapters and Keys to Diptera Families , 2019, American Entomologist.

[2]  R. Lavigne,et al.  First Record of Accidental Contamination of Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera) with Brochosomes , 2018, Entomological News.

[3]  A. Ross.  Extraordinary Lagerstätten in Amber, with particular reference to the Cretaceous of Burma , 2017 .

[4]  A. Nel,et al.  Youngest representative of the extinct genus Microphorites in the Eocene amber of France (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Microphorinae). , 2017, Zootaxa.

[5]  A. Nel,et al.  Two new long-legged flies in the Santonian amber of France (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) , 2017 .

[6]  A. Nel,et al.  Discovery of a new species of the Cretaceous genus Microphorites Hennig, 1971 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae s. lat.) in Paleogene amber from eastern Moravia (Czech Republic) , 2016 .

[7]  M. Engel,et al.  Youngest Occurrence of the Genus Microphorites (Diptera: Dolichopodidae): A New Species in Late Cretaceous Vendean Amber , 2014 .

[8]  D. Grimaldi,et al.  Age constraint on Burmese amber based on U–Pb dating of zircons , 2012 .

[9]  E. Peñalver,et al.  Microphorites (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of San Just (Spain), and the co-occurrence of two ceratopogonid species in Spanish amber deposits , 2008 .

[10]  B. Sinclair,et al.  The genus Schistostoma Becker from southern Africa, with an evaluation of its generic status (Diptera: Dolichopodidae s. l.: Microphorinae) , 2006 .

[11]  B. Sinclair,et al.  The morphology, higher-level phylogeny and classification of the Empidoidea (Diptera) , 2006 .

[12]  A. Nel,et al.  A new Microphorites in the Lower Cretaceous amber of the Southwest of France (Diptera: Dolichopodidae, “Microphorinae”) , 2004 .

[13]  D. Grimaldi,et al.  Fossiliferous Cretaceous Amber from Myanmar (Burma): Its Rediscovery, Biotic Diversity, and Paleontological Significance , 2002 .

[14]  D. Grimaldi,et al.  Brachyceran Diptera in Cretaceous ambers and Mesozoic diversification of the Eremoneura. , 1999 .

[15]  M. Chvála.  Revision of Palaearctic Microphoridae (Diptera). 1. Microphor Macq , 1986 .

[16]  W. Hennig.  Insektenfossilien aus der unteren Kreide. III. Empidiformia (,Microphorinae') aus der unteren Kreide und aus dem Baltischen Bernstein; ein Vertreter der Cyclorrhapha aus der unteren Kreide , 1971 .

[17]  L. Lambe.  Contributions to Canadian palaeontology volume IV , 1901 .