New morphological data from the Jurassic of Inner Mongolia confirms the damselfly aspect of Protomyrmeleontidae (Insecta: Odonatoptera)

Abstract

Protomyrmeleon daohugouensis sp. n. and Protomyrmeleon lini sp. n., two new species of Protomyrmeleontiae from the Middle Jurassic of Jiulongshan Formation are the first Chinese representatives of this Mesozoic odonatopteran family. The type specimen of P. lini is exceptionally well preserved, showing several very particular wing and body structures that were unknown, viz. unique shape of tarsal claws, extreme thoracic skewness, presence of three pairs of long spurs on all femora and tibias. The type ‘A’ (sensu Nel et al., 2005) of wing venation (i.e. with a very long bridge between IR2 and RP3/4) corresponds to that of the protomyrmeleontid fore wing. The nearly complete absence of the meso-metathoracic interpleural suture, newly discovered in the Protomyrmeleontidae, can be considered as a synapomorphy of the clade Protozygoptera + Odonata.