Published February 6, 2026 | Version v1
Taxonomic treatment Open

Tichostephanus qinshubao Ge & Tan 2026, sp. nov.

  • 1. College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
  • 2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation / Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 North Taibai Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China

Description

Tichostephanus qinshubaoGe & Tan sp. nov.

Figs 1, 2

Holotype.

BFU, Myanmar Amber, Cretaceous. Part of Si-Xun Ge’s collection. Sex unknown.

This specimen was previously included in the phylogenetic analysis of Ge et al. (2025) as ‘ † Tichostephanus sp 1 ’.

Etymology.

The genus-group name is a combination of the Greek words teichos (meaning ‘ city wall’). The new species was named after a famous minister of the Tang Dynasty (who is also one of the door gods in Chinese culture).

Diagnosis.

The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of character states: Neck (modified and more or less narrowed anterior part of pronotum) with two distinct carinae and at distinct lower level than middle part of pronotum from lateral view. The posterior part of the pronotum is slightly ascending above the middle part in lateral view. Pterostigma elongate and narrow, about 12 × as long as its maximum width. Vein 1 Cu slightly curved distally, curvature directed towards the posterior margin; first subdiscal cell approximately rectangular.

Description.

Sex unknown because antenna and genitalia are not preserved. Body length (only partially preserved part because of the destroyed metasomal apex) 6.2 mm; fore wing length ca. 2.4 mm.

Head (Fig. 2 A): Antennae missing, head globular, compound eyes occupying about 2 / 3 of lateral surface; vertex with two unpaired anterior teeth distinctly developed, followed with three pairs of distinct coronal teeth on upper frons and vertex around ocelli; temple more or less bulging; occipital carina distinctly developed. Maxillary and labial palpi not observed.

Mesosoma (Fig. 2 B): Pronotum robust with neck differentiated; neck at lower level than middle part of pronotum posterodorsally; neck with two distinct carinae, middle and posterior part of pronotum smooth (as laterally); middle part of pronotum weakly differentiated from posterior part; posterior part of pronotum and mesonotum with sparse setosity; scutellum slightly raised above mesonotum, at least partially smooth.

Wings (Fig. 2 C, D): Fore wing with vein 1 Rs and 1 M merged and straight; 2 - Rs, 2 Rs + M and 1 m-cu merged as continuous (i. e. vein 2 Rs + M + 1 m-cu) vein; pterostigma elongate and narrow, about 12 × as long as its maximum width; vein Rs complete and sclerotized; vein M does not reach the wing margin; subdiscal cell parallel-sided with vein 1 Cu parallel to vein A; vein A extended to 2 Cu-a; 2 Cu-b entirely absent. Hind wing hyaline and clear with only Sc + R present.

Legs (Fig. 2 E, F): All legs elongate and comparatively slender, without distinct sculpturing; hind coxa comparatively robust, spindle shaped without distinct striae; hind femur slender without ventral dentition, about 8.6 × as long as its maximum width; hind tibia distinct flattened apically; inner side of widened part not concave basally; hind tibia about 1.2 × longer than hind femur, with maximum width of apical widened part more than 6 × as wide as minimum width of basal narrow part; hind tarsus with five tarsomeres; basitarsus 7.5 × as long as wide.

Metasoma (Fig. 2 E): Metasoma incompletely preserved. First tergum and sternum not fused laterally; tergite I slender but with apical part more or less swollen, more or less conical shaped; tergite I indistinctly narrower than tergite II.

Notes

Published as part of Ge, Si-Xun, Ren, Li-Li & Tan, Jiang-Li, 2026, Description of two new species of the mid-Cretaceous genus † Tichostephanus Engel (Hymenoptera, Gasteruptiidae), pp. 47-57 in Journal of Hymenoptera Research 99 on pages 47-57, DOI: 10.3897/jhr.99.175957

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Collection code
BFU
Scientific name authorship
Ge & Tan
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Stephanidae
Genus
Tichostephanus
Species
qinshubao
Taxon rank
species
Taxonomic status
sp. nov.
Type status
holotype
Taxonomic concept label
Tichostephanus qinshubao Ge & Tan, 2026

References

  • Ge SX, Ren LL, Tan JL (2025) Phylogenetic bridging by Cretaceous Stephanidae (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea): Burmese amber fossils highlight early diverging lineages. Insect Systematics and Diversity 9 (5): ixaf 038. https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixaf038