Paleopsychoda zherikhini Azar & Adaymeh & Jreich 2007, sp. n.

Paleopsychoda zherikhini sp. n.

Figs 2–10

Etymology: In memory of Prof. Vladimir Zherikhin, who was a friend of the senior author and a great authority in palaeoentomology.

Diagnosis: Eyebridge incomplete. Mouthparts well developed and phlebotomine-like. Maxillary palp 4-segmented, with last palpomere twice as long as others. Third and fourth palpomeres with secondary annulations over their entire length. Antenna with 15 flagellomeres, the last one being reduced and drop-like.

Description: Mouthparts well developed, equal in length to head (Figs 4–7), palp 0.45 mm long, with four palpomeres. Eyes forming weak and incomplete eyebridge, separated by distance of 0.125 mm. Antenna 0.675 mm long, with 15 flagellomeres. First flagellomere nearly twice as long as others and terminal flagellomere reduced and droplike. Scape cylindrical, 0.055 mm long and 0.035 mm wide. Pedicel nearly globular, about 0.045 mm long and wide. All flagellomeres bearing curved setae. Wing 1.2 mm long, 0.55 mm wide, hyaline (Fig. 8). Humeral vein reaching costal margin at 0.125 mm from wing base. Subcostal vein (Sc) distally fused with R1 at almost right angles, 0.465 mm from wing base, and with crossvein reaching costal margin. R1 reaching costal margin 0.885 mm from wing base. Rs separated from R1 at 0.335 mm from wing base, 0.09 mm basad of M1+2 and M3 fork. Rs four-branched, with all its branches extending to wing margin. Rs bifurcating into R2+3 and R4+5 0.45 mm distad of wing base. R2 and R3 separating 0.85 mm distally. R4 and R5 separating 0.175 mm distad of R2+3 base. R4 curved. R5 with strong angle in its basal part and distally very slightly curved. Crossvein r–m 0.635 mm distad of wing base. M1+2 and M3 diverging 0.275 mm distad of arculus. M1 and M2 bifurcating 0.36 mm distad of M1+2 base. M1 distally nearly straight. M2 slightly shorter than M1. M3 reaching wing margin at nearly 0.8 mm from wing base. CuA1 separating from CuA 0.395 mm distad of wing base. CuA2 rather developed, curved distally, 0.24 mm long. A1 well developed and reaching posterior wing margin. All main veins and wing margin bearing long macrotrichiae. Halteres 0.18 mm long. Knob 0.06 mm long and 0.025 mm wide. Stem 0.12 mm long. Thorax 0.5 mm long, 0.45 mm high. Pronotum gibbous with its upper surface bearing few long setae. Legs very long, distinctly longer than entire body. Abdomen 0.48 mm long excluding genital appendages, 0.31 mm wide. Dorsal surfaces of all abdominal segments bearing few setae. Female genital appendages (Figs 9, 10) covered by a thin layer of small gas bubbles but nevertheless discernable. Subgenital plate elongate, 0.085 mm long. Cerci rounded, 0.055 mm long and 0.06 mm wide. Subgenital plate and cerci bearing fine and dense setae.

Holotype: specimen no. 3308/13, sex unknown; locality of Zhdanikha; mid-Cretaceous, Begichev Formation. Paratypes: specimens no. 3308/14, sex unknown, and no. 3308/15, female, from the same locality and horizon as the holotype.