New record of Zhangsolva Nagatomi and Yang, 1998 (Diptera, Zhangsolvidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber and its implications

Abstract

AbstractZhangsolva is the type genus of the extinct long proboscis family Zhangsolvidae, originally known as a compression fossil from the Laiyang Formation, China. Here we describe a new species Zhangsolva burmensis sp. nov in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Antennae of zhangsolvids are discussed, and a proposed antennal segmentation of Zhangsolva cupressa is given. Anatomical features of the proboscis are interpreted based on exceptional preservation of the holotype, which are identical to flower-visiting bombyliid flies. This discovery provides important characters for further phylogenetical analysis of the Zhangsolvidae and important evidence for the proboscis function in pollination.