The earliest fossil record of the wasp subfamily Pelecininae (Hymenoptera:Proctotrupoidea: Pelecinidae) from the Yixian Formation of China

Zootaxa 22 Apr. 2009

The earliest fossil record of the wasp subfamily Pelecininae (Hymenoptera:Proctotrupoidea: Pelecinidae) from the Yixian Formation of China

CHENXI LIU, CHUNGKUN SHIH & DONG REN1

Key Lab of Insect Evolution & Environment Change, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China

    A new genus with a new species (Shoushida regilla gen. et sp. nov.) of pelecinid wasps is described and illustrated. The fossil has been collected from the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou Village,Liaoning Province, China. The new species has vein Rs forking to two branches: Rs1 straight and reaching wing margin much before apex and Rs2 long, forming an “X” pattern together with 2r-rs. This finding represents the earliest fossil record of subfamily Pelecininae in the world up to date. Sexual dimorphism in Pelecinidae is briefly discussed.