Pseudoameropterus ambiguus, Jepson & Makarkin, 2023

Jepson, James E. & Makarkin, Vladimir N., 2023, Fossil Neuropterida (Insecta: Neuroptera and Raphidioptera) from the middle Eocene Kishenehn Formation, Montana, USA, Zootaxa 5306 (4), pp. 427-444 : 429

Pseudoameropterus ambiguus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4A61DA82-99EF-410B-BADE-94C6D728246F

Fig. 1

Etymology. From the Latin ambiguus [- a, -um], ambiguous, obscure, mysterious.

Type material. Holotype USNM PAL 626076 , deposited in USNM. A nearly complete hind wing .

Type locality and horizon. Middle Fork of the Flathead River , between Paola and Stanton Creeks approximately 17 miles south of West Glacier; the Coal Creek Member of the Kishenehn Formation, north-western Montana, U.S.A. The Middle Eocene (Lutetian).

Diagnosis. As for genus.

Description. Hind wing 30.3 mm long as preserved (estimated complete length 35–37 mm), 8.1 mm wide. Costal space moderately broad, with all veinlets simple, closely spaced. Pterostigma indistinct, short, bound by two simple veinlets, two incorporated veins, one multibranched, one simple. Sc fused with RA in distal part of wing level with centre of the pterostigma. Seven preserved veinlets of Sc+RA connected by 10 preserved crossveins; four proximal veinlets simple or forked once, three distal veinlets strongly forked. Thirteen ra-rp crossveins preserved. RP with seven branches. RP1 originating before mid-point of wing, profusely branched at mid-point of vein. Other branches of RP probably shallowly branched (their terminal parts not preserved). Numerous crossveins (66 preserved) throughout RP spaces. One presectoral crossvein preserved. Between R and M (radiomedial space) 17 crossveins preserved. MA slightly incurved medially, simple. MP terminally simple, stronger incurve medially than MA, pectinately branched with four branches, one of these (MP1) rather shallowly forked, other simple. Stem of MP and its branches connected by four crossveins (one between each pair). In intramedial space (between MA and MP) 15 crossveins preserved. Between MP and CuA (mediocubital space) nine preserved widely spaced crossveins. CuA long, strongly incurved; stem of CuA shallowly forked terminally, with eight pectinate branches; one of these rather shallowly forked, other simple. Stem of CuA and three distal branches connected by three crossveins (one between each pair). One cua-cup crossvein preserved in intracubital space. CuP probably rather long, fragmentarily preserved. Anal veins not preserved.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pseudoameropterus ambiguus gen. et sp. nov., holotype USNM PAL 626076. A, specimen as preserved; B, hind wing venation. Scale bar 10 mm.