One New Genus and Four New Species of Beaded Lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar Amber

Simple Summary Berothidae, a small family with both extant species and extinct species of Neuroptera, has high species diversity in Cretaceous Myanmar amber. An in-depth study on the diversity of berothids in Cretaceous Myanmar amber will be conducive to better understand the early evolution of Berothidae species and explore the evolutionary relationship of fossil and extant groups. In this study, we describe one new genus and four new species of Berothidae from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. The new genus possesses some synapomorphies in common with Cyrenoberothinae, and this suggests that the new genus may have a close relationship with Cyrenoberothinae.Abstract In recent years, as more and more fossil species of berothids from Myanmar have been reported, the species and morphological diversity of Berothidae continues to increase. Herein, one new species of Berothidae, Aggregataberotha paucipunctata sp. nov., and one new genus, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., with three new species (Sejunctaberotha sphaerica gen. et sp. nov., Sejunctaberotha tenuis gen. et sp. nov. and Sejunctaberotha transversa gen. et sp. nov.) are described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. A. paucipunctata sp. nov. is assigned to Aggregataberotha Wang, Huang & Wang, 2022, based on the characteristics of the similar female terminalia and wing venation, but can be different from A. punctate regarding the pale pterostigma and a few detailed features of wing venation. Additionally, representatives of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. are remarkably different from the representatives of the other genera within Berothidae in the configuration of wing venation. For example, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. has simple subcostal veinlets, obviously free Sc and RA at the apex present both in fore- and hindwings, a single ra-rp crossvein connecting the RA with RP3, a single rp-m crossvein locating before the origin of the MP, a simple CuP and no gradate veins. Interestingly, in one of the specimens of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., a pair of spherical bulges was found at the end of the antennae. The new genus Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. suggests that Berothidae had a higher potential diversification during the Mesozoic Era.