LAUSR

The family Corydasialidae, currently comprising two monotypic genera from the Eocene, is one of the few groups with undetermined ordinal placement in Neuropterida, although it was previously considered to be an intermediate form between Corydalidae and Sialidae in Megaloptera. Here we describe a new taxon of Corydasialidae – Megalopteroneura chenxingi gen. et sp. nov. – based on an exquisitely preserved specimen in mid-Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar. The new corydasialid in general resembles the genus Cratochrysa Martins-Neto, 1994 (Neuroptera: familia incertae sedis) from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. In light of the new fossil evidence, Corydasialidae is herein transferred from Megaloptera to Neuroptera based on sharing the following autapomorphies of the latter order: orthognathous head, absence of gula, distinctly enlarged prementum of labium, and short forewing ScA terminating on ScP. Male genitalia of M. chenxingi gen. et sp. nov. are superficially Raphidioptera-like, with well-developed male gonocoxites and gonapophyses 9 but lacking rosette of trichobothria on ectoprocts. However, male genital characters of the new corydasialid differ fundamentally from Raphidioptera in the separation of tergum and sternum 9, fusion between tergum 9 and ectoprocts, and fusion between sterna 8 and 9. These genital features, together with some wing characters, suggest a possible close relationship between Corydasialidae and Chrysopidae or Mesochrysopidae. The new corydasialid fossil, representing the first extinct lacewing family with completely preserved male genitalia, provides insight into the comparative morphology of genital sclerites in Neuropterida, and further elucidates the early evolution of lacewings. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FD949294-59E3-455E-AABA-3E10D9B582D6