New chironomid flies in Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Diptera: Chironomidae)

The oldest representatives of the Tanypodinae (Macropelopiini, Pentaneurini and Anatopyniini), Libanopelopia cretacica gen. et sp. it., Cretapelopia salomea gen, et sp. n., Wadelius libanicus gen. et sp. n.; the oldest representative of the Orthocladiinae, Lebanorthocladius furcatus gen. et sp. n. and the oldest representatives of the Prodiamesinae, Libanodiamesa deploegi gen. et sp. n. and Cretadiamesa arieli gen. et sp. it., are described from the Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber. The male of the podonomine Libanochlites neocomicus Brundin, previously known only from a female specimen, is described, supporting its allocation to this subfamily. The positions of the previously described Mesozoic taxa attributed to the Chironomidae are discussed. In particular, Gurvanomyia rohdendorfi Hong from the Early Cretaceous of China, and Manlayamyia dabeigouensis Zhang from the Late Jurassic of China are considered as Diptera incertae sedis. The most recent discoveries demonstrate the great antiquity of the recent chironomid subfamilies and tribes and the high morphological stability within this group since the Early Cretaceous.