A new genus and species of split-footed lacewings (Neuroptera) from the early Eocene of western Canada and revision of the subfamily affinities of Mesozoic Nymphidae

Abstract

AbstractA new genus and new species of Nymphidae (Neuroptera) is described from the Ypresian Okanagan Highlands locality of Falkland, British Columbia, Canada: Epinesydrion falklandensisnew genus, new species. This is only the fourth known Cenozoic adult specimen, and all others are less complete. It is the second specimen from the Okanagan Highlands. Currently Nymphidae has two recognised subfamilies. All Cenozoic fossils are confident members of the Nymphinae, but the subfamily assignments of almost all Mesozoic genera are problematic. The Late Cretaceous Dactylomyius is the only genus that might belong to Myiodactylinae. The rest may belong to the undefined stem groups of the family or to the Nymphinae, with varying levels of probability. Mesonymphes sibirica is transferred to Nymphites Haase: N. sibiricus (Ponomarenko), new combination; Sialium minor to Spilonymphes Shi, Winterton, and Ren: Spilonymphes minor (Shi, Winterton, and Ren), new combination; “Mesonymphes” apicalis does not belong to Mesonymphes Carpenter and may not even belong to the Nymphidae. The fossil record of the family occurs across much of the globe, but today they are restricted to Australia, New Guinea, and possibly the Philippines. Modern Nymphinae is only found in Australia. This may result from a requirement of frost-free climates, which were more widespread in the past.