New genus and two new species of the Lower Cretaceous Digger Wasp from Spain (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Angarosphecinae)

One new genus and two new species, Ilerdosphex wenzae RASNITSYN n.gen. and n.sp. and Pompilopterus montsecensis RASNITSYN n.sp., are described in the digger wasp subfamily Angarosphecinae (Sphecidae) from the Lower Cretaceous (possibly Barremian) lithographic limestones of the La Pedrera de Meià fossil site in the Montsec Range, NE Spain

New genus and two new species of the Lower Cretaceous Digger Wasp from Spain (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Angarosphecinae)

One new genus and two new species, Ilerdosphex wenzae RASNITSYN n.gen. and n.sp. and Pompilopterus montsecensis RASNITSYN n.sp., are described in the digger wasp subfamily Angarosphecinae (Sphecidae) from the Lower Cretaceous (possibly Barremian) lithographic limestones of the La Pedrera de Meià fossil site in the Montsec Range, NE Spain

Two new Lower Cretaceous hymenopterous insects (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Sierra del Montsec, Spain

Two new hymenoterans are described from the Lower Barremian lithographic limestones of Sierra del Montsec (Lleida, Spain), Leridatoma pulcherrimapulcherima n.gen., n.sp. (Xyelotomidae RASNITSYN, 1968) that combines the most and the least advanced character states in the family (in structure of antenna and fore wing RS, respectively), and Cretephialtites pedrerae n.gen., n.sp. (Ephialtitidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906)

Identity of Prosepididontus calpterys Handlirsch 1920 (Insecta: Grylloblattida: Geinitziidae)

Prosepididontus calopteryx HANDLIRSCH 1920, from the upper Lower Jurassic of Germ a ny, is transferred from Trichoptera to Grylloblattida: Geinitziidae. The anal loop like structure of Prosepididontus calopteryx is built of the concave CuP and two anal veins. Prosepididontidae HANDLIRSCH, 1920 is synonymised under Geinitziidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906

Identity of Prosepididontus calpterys Handlirsch 1920 (Insecta: Grylloblattida: Geinitziidae)

Prosepididontus calopteryx HANDLIRSCH 1920, from the upper Lower Jurassic of Germ a ny, is transferred from Trichoptera to Grylloblattida: Geinitziidae. The anal loop like structure of Prosepididontus calopteryx is built of the concave CuP and two anal veins. Prosepididontidae HANDLIRSCH, 1920 is synonymised under Geinitziidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906.Prosepididontus calopteryx HANDLIRSCH 1920, from the upper Lower Jurassic of Germ a ny, is transferred from Trichoptera to Grylloblattida: Geinitziidae. The anal loop like structure of Prosepididontus calopteryx is built of the concave CuP and two anal veins. Prosepididontidae HANDLIRSCH, 1920 is synonymised under Geinitziidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906

Two new Lower Cretaceous hymenopterous insects (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Sierra del Montsec, Spain

Two new hymenoterans are described from the Lower Barremian lithographic limestones of Sierra del Montsec (Lleida, Spain), Leridatoma pulcherrimapulcherima n.gen., n.sp. (Xyelotomidae RASNITSYN, 1968) that combines the most and the least advanced character states in the family (in structure of antenna and fore wing RS, respectively), and Cretephialtites pedrerae n.gen., n.sp. (Ephialtitidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906)

Wasps (Insecta: Vespida = Hymenoptera) from the Early Cretaceous of Spain

Wasps and their relatives from the Lower Cretaceous lithographic limestones of Spain have been studied. Thirty specimens representing 30 species (4 of them with undetermined placement), at least 21 genera and 11 families are recorded. We erect 1 new family - Andrenelidae-, 6 new genera and 11 new species: Meiaghilarella cretacica n.gen., n.sp. (Sepulcidae Ghilarellinae), Eosyntexis catalonicus n.sp., Cretosyntexis montsecensis n.gen., n.sp. (Anaxyelidae Syntexinae), Montsecephialtites zherikhini n.gen., n.sp. (Ephialtitidae Ephialtitinae), Karataus hispanicus n.sp. (Ephialtitidae Symphytopterinae), Manlaya ansorge i n.sp. (Gasteruptiidae Baissinae), Andrenelia pennata n.gen., n.sp. (Andrenelidae n. fam.), Cretoserphus gomezi n.gen., n.sp. (Mesoserphidae), Montsecosphex jarzembow skii n.gen., n.sp., Angarosphex penyalveri n.sp., Pompilopterus (?) noguerensis n.sp. (Sphecidae Angarosphecinae), Cretoscolia conquensis n.sp. (Scoliidae Archaeoscoliinae). The Mesozoic family Ephialtitidae is revisited based on the restudy of the type-species. We compare these Spanish Cretaceous assemblages with other ones from various parts of the world: Central and Eastern Asia, England, Australia, and Brazil. The number of genera and families identified in the Spanish fossil-sites is almost the same as in the English Purbeck and Wealden. The absence of some hymenopteran groups as Xyelidae, is consistent with the warm climate know to exist in Spain during the Early Cretaceous. We conclude that both La Cabrúa and La Pedrera assemblages - the two sites that have yielded the greatest number of species- correspond to the Lower Cretaceous “Baissin type” (sensu Rasnitsyn et al., 1998), but including some Jurassic “survivors”. La Pedrera assemblage fits equally well in the “angarosphecine subtype”, while La Cabrúa roughly corresponds to the “proctotrupid” one, although shows a comparative ly high proportion of angarosphecins. This fact may suggest: a) possibly asynchrony between these two fossilsites, b) environmental differences not reflected in the lithological record, c) different taphonomic processes and/or, d) insufficient sample size - to reflect the reality of the source populations-. La Pedrera assemblage is very similar to those from Weald Clay (England), Bon Tsagan (Mongolia) and Santana (Brazil). La Cabrúa approaches to a some extent, though not quite agrees with the Purbeck (UK), Koonwarra (Australia), and most Lower Cretaceous Asian assemblages

Wasps (Insecta: Vespida = Hymenoptera) from the Early Cretaceous of Spain

Wasps and their relatives from the Lower Cretaceous lithographic limestones of Spain have been studied. Thirty specimens representing 30 species (4 of them with undetermined placement), at least 21 genera and 11 families are recorded. We erect 1 new family - Andrenelidae-, 6 new genera and 11 new species: Meiaghilarella cretacica n.gen., n.sp. (Sepulcidae Ghilarellinae), Eosyntexis catalonicus n.sp., Cretosyntexis montsecensis n.gen., n.sp. (Anaxyelidae Syntexinae), Montsecephialtites zherikhini n.gen., n.sp. (Ephialtitidae Ephialtitinae), Karataus hispanicus n.sp. (Ephialtitidae Symphytopterinae), Manlaya ansorge i n.sp. (Gasteruptiidae Baissinae), Andrenelia pennata n.gen., n.sp. (Andrenelidae n. fam.), Cretoserphus gomezi n.gen., n.sp. (Mesoserphidae), Montsecosphex jarzembow skii n.gen., n.sp., Angarosphex penyalveri n.sp., Pompilopterus (?) noguerensis n.sp. (Sphecidae Angarosphecinae), Cretoscolia conquensis n.sp. (Scoliidae Archaeoscoliinae). The Mesozoic family Ephialtitidae is revisited based on the restudy of the type-species. We compare these Spanish Cretaceous assemblages with other ones from various parts of the world: Central and Eastern Asia, England, Australia, and Brazil. The number of genera and families identified in the Spanish fossil-sites is almost the same as in the English Purbeck and Wealden. The absence of some hymenopteran groups as Xyelidae, is consistent with the warm climate know to exist in Spain during the Early Cretaceous. We conclude that both La Cabrúa and La Pedrera assemblages - the two sites that have yielded the greatest number of species- correspond to the Lower Cretaceous “Baissin type” (sensu Rasnitsyn et al., 1998), but including some Jurassic “survivors”. La Pedrera assemblage fits equally well in the “angarosphecine subtype”, while La Cabrúa roughly corresponds to the “proctotrupid” one, although shows a comparative ly high proportion of angarosphecins. This fact may suggest: a) possibly asynchrony between these two fossilsites, b) environmental differences not reflected in the lithological record, c) different taphonomic processes and/or, d) insufficient sample size - to reflect the reality of the source populations-. La Pedrera assemblage is very similar to those from Weald Clay (England), Bon Tsagan (Mongolia) and Santana (Brazil). La Cabrúa approaches to a some extent, though not quite agrees with the Purbeck (UK), Koonwarra (Australia), and most Lower Cretaceous Asian assemblages

Cretobestiola, a replacement name for Bestiola Pulawski and Rasnitsyn, 1999 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

We recently described a sphecid wasp genus Bestiola (in Rasnitsyn et al., 1999) to accommodate four species from Lower Cretaceous of Spain, eastern Russia, and Mongolia. This generic name, however, is preoccupied by Bestiola Nikol’skaya (1963), an aphelinid, as pointed to us by Mr. John K. Page (Zoological Records, York, Great Britain) and also by Signor Guido Pagliano (Torino, Italy). We therefore propose the name Cretobestiola to replace it. The name is derived from the Latin names creta (chalk), with reference to Cretaceous geological period, and bestiola (little beast).We recently described a sphecid wasp genus Bestiola (in Rasnitsyn et al., 1999) to accommodate four species from Lower Cretaceous of Spain, eastern Russia, and Mongolia. This generic name, however, is preoccupied by Bestiola Nikol’skaya (1963), an aphelinid, as pointed to us by Mr. John K. Page (Zoological Records, York, Great Britain) and also by Signor Guido Pagliano (Torino, Italy). We therefore propose the name Cretobestiola to replace it. The name is derived from the Latin names creta (chalk), with reference to Cretaceous geological period, and bestiola (little beast)