A new family, genus, and species of scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccinea: Kukaspldidae, new family) from Cretaceous Alaskan amber

A new genus and species of scale insect, Kukaspis usingeri is described from Cretaceous Alaskan amber and placed in a new extinct family, the Kukaspididae. This fossil is a derived member of the superfamily Orthezioidea, with six pairs of unicorneal eyes forming lateral rows, a scutum with a large subrectangular membrane, a tubular scutellum separated from the mesopostnotum by a large membrane, wings narrow with a clear posterior (claval) flexing line, but a reduced anterior one, narrow parallel-sided halteres; a unique waxy tail consisting of four soft filaments arising from the last abdominal tergite and a penial sheath divided into basal capsule and stylus with a hooklike apex. Relationships of this peculiar Lower Cretaceous form with both extant and extinct forms are discussed.