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Friday, March 28th, 2025
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| 2:10a | [PaleoEntomology • 2025] Sirenobethylus charybdis • A Cretaceous Fly Trap? Remarkable Abdominal Modification in A Fossil Wasp
Abstract Background: Carnivorous insects have evolved a range of prey and host capture mechanisms. However, insect predation strategies in the fossil record remain poorly understood. Results: Here, we describe †Sirenobethylus charybdis n. gen. & sp., based on sixteen adult female wasps in Kachin amber from the mid-Cretaceous, 99 Mya (million years ago), and place it in Chrysidoidea: †Sirenobethylidae n. fam. The fossils display unique morphological modifications on the tip of the abdomen consisting of three flaps from the modified abdominal sternum 6 and tergum and sternum 7; the lower flap formed from sternum 6 is preserved in different positions relative to the other flaps in different specimens, indicating that they form some sort of grasping apparatus. Nothing similar is known from any other insect; the rounded abdominal apparatus, combined with the setae along the edges, is reminiscent of a Venus flytrap. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the new family is a separate lineage close to the base of Chrysidoidea. Conclusions: †Sirenobethylus probably was a koinobiont parasitoid wasp; the abdominal grasping apparatus may have been used to temporarily immobilize the host during oviposition. The new fossils suggest that Chrysidoidea displayed a wider range of parasitoid strategies in the mid-Cretaceous than they do today. Keywords: Sirenobethylidae, Chrysidoidea, Morphology, Grasping apparatus, Phylogeny
 Systematic paleontology Order Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758. Infraorder Aculeata Latreille, 1802. Superfamily Chrysidoidea Latreille, 1802. Family †Sirenobethylidae Wu, Vilhelmsen & Gao fam. nov. Type genus. †Sirenobethylus Wu, Vilhelmsen & Gao gen. nov. Diagnosis. Head hypognathous, with medial line on vertex. Antenna with nine flagellomeres, antennal sockets simple, close to posterior margin of clypeus; clypeus projecting and acute in lateral view, slightly convex; mandibles with four apical teeth along truncate apical margin; occipital carina distinct, complete. Propleuron not exposed in dorsal view; prosternum small, diamond-shaped, exposed; notauli present. Female macropterous. Second abdominal (first metasomal) segment in dorsal view with angular anterolateral corners; tergum 7 longer than wide, distinctly narrower than other terga; sternum 6 wider than other sterna, laterally expanded distally, paddle-shaped, projecting posteriorly, posterior margin concave, with a dozen very long, slender setae; many thick spines on dorsal surface of sternum 6. Sternum 7 with median part accommodating ovipositor shaft dorsally and two lateral parts curving outwards before approaching median part distally; median and lateral parts of sternum 7 separated by weakly sclerotized areas. Sting sheaths on either side of the sting, apparently shorter than sting. Genus †Sirenobethylus Wu, Vilhelmsen & Gao gen. nov. Type species. †Sirenobethylus charybdis Wu, Vilhelmsen & Gao sp. nov. Etymology. The new generic name is a combination of the Greek ‘sireno-’ meaning ‘female humanlike beings with alluring voices in Greek mythology’, and ‘bethylus’, from the nominal genus of Bethylidae. ‘Sireno-’ is also a reference to Mammalia: Sirenia, as the ‘tail’ of the wasp in ventral view resembles that of a manatee. The gender is masculine. †Sirenobethylus charybdis Wu, Vilhelmsen & Gao sp. nov. Etymology. The epithet refers to Charybdis, the sea monster in Greek mythology who alternately swallowed and disgorged copious amounts seawater three times a day. Materials. Holotype. Female, CNU-HYM-MA-2015124. Locality and horizon. The amber specimen was collected from Kachin (Hukawng Valley) of northern Myanmar, which is dated at 98.79 ± 0.62 Mya [17, 18].
Qiong Wu, Lars Vilhelmsen, Xiaoqin Li, De Zhuo, Dong Ren and Taiping Gao. 2025. A Cretaceous Fly Trap? Remarkable Abdominal Modification in A Fossil Wasp. BMC Biology. 23, 81. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s12915-025-02190-2 [27 March 2025] | ||||||
| 12:53p | [Botany • 2025] Primulina nanlingensis (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from the Limestone Karst of Guangdong, China
Abstract Primulina nanlingensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from the Karst of Guangdong, China, is described and illustrated. This species is morphologically similar to P. versicolor, but can be distinguished by its larger crenate-margined leaves, fewer flowers per cyme and overall cyme number, ovate-lanceolate bracts with shallow serrations, calyx lobes with 1–3 teeth per side, stamens densely glandular at base and tip and pistil densely glandular-puberulent. It also resembles P. pengii, but has significant differences in its longer corolla, pale yellow corolla colour and ovate-lanceolate bracts. Phylogenetic analyses with ITS and trnL-F sequences revealed that P. nanlingensis is sister to P. versicolor and P. pengii, but isolated from its morphological relatives. The phylogenetic and morphological relationships with similar species are discussed, including detailed descriptions, photographs and distribution information. According to the IUCN Red List Criteria, the new species is assessed as Near Threatened [NT]. Key words: Gesneriaceae, limestone flora, morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy
Primulina nanlingensis J.C.Luo & H.F.Chen, sp. nov. Diagnosis: The new species is similar to Primulina versicolor F.Wen, B.Pan & B.M.Wang in terms of flower shape and corolla colour, but easily distinguished from the larger leaf blades (10–21 × 7–19 cm vs. 8–18 × 6.5–16.5 cm) with a crenate margin (vs. entire); notably lower number of flowers (3–4 cymes, 4–8 flowered vs. 4–8 cymes, 4–24 flowered or more); bracts ovate-lanceolate (vs. broadly oval or suborbicular), with shallowly serrate margins above the middle (vs. entire margins); calyx lobes densely glandular on both surfaces (vs. outside glandular-pubescent inside nearly glabrous) and with 1–3 inconspicuous teeth each side (vs. 3–5-serrate); longer pistil (3.2–3.5 cm vs. 2.5–2.8 cm) and glandular-puberulent (vs. puberulent); filaments white (vs. pale yellow) with densely glandular at base and tip, sparser mid-section (vs. only upper half sparsely glandular-puberulent). Additionally, while the leaf morphology of this new species resembles that of P. pengii W.B.Xu & K.F.Chung, it differs in having a longer corolla length (4.2–5.2 cm vs. 2.8–3.6 cm), pale yellow corollas (vs. white) and ovate-lanceolate bracts with slightly serrate edges above the middle (vs. cordate bracts with entire margins). Etymology. The species epithet refers to the type locality, the Nanling Mountains. Vernacular name. 南岭报春苣苔 (Chinese name); Nán Lǐng Bào Chūn Jù Tái (Chinese pronunciation). Jin-Chu Luo, Yuan-Qiu Li, Ya-Li Li, Ming-Zhao She, Yang-Jin Zeng, Fa-Guo Wang and Hong-Feng Chen. 2025. Primulina nanlingensis (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from the Limestone Karst of Guangdong, China. PhytoKeys. 254: 99-111. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.254.145138 | ||||||
| 3:05p | [Botany • 2025] Camellia shuangbaiensis (Theaceae) • A New Species from Yunnan, China
Abstract A new species of the genus Camellia (Theaceae), Camellia shuangbaiensis G.P.Yang & B.H.Wu, sp. nov., from the central region of Yunnan Province of China is described. Camellia shuangbaiensis is morphologically similar to C. mileensis and C. hongkongensis, but it can be distinguished by its smaller leaves with an ovate, abaxially tomentose lamina, and 14–16 bracteoles and sepals. Key words: Camellia, Flora, new taxon, Shuangbai County, taxonomy
Camellia shuangbaiensis G.P.Yang & B.H.Wu, sp. nov. 双柏山茶 (Shuang Bai Shan Cha) Diagnosis. Camellia shuangbaiensis morphologically resembles C. mileensis T.L.Ming and C. hongkongensis Seem., but it can be distinguished from the latter two species by its leaves with ovate shape, tomentose abaxial surface and rounded leaf base and bracteoles/sepals 14–16. Etymology. The specific epithet “shuangbaiensis” refers to Shuangbai County of Yunnan Province, the type locality of the new species. Zi-Yuan Li, Bao-Huan Wu, Shang Qu, Le-Shan Du, Hai-Ou Liu, He-Xiang Duan, Fei-Fei Li and Wen-Hui Liu. 2025. Camellia shuangbaiensis (Theaceae), A New Species from Yunnan, China. PhytoKeys. 254: 143-149. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.254.144891  | ||||||
| 3:05p | [Botany • 2025] Telipogon cruentilabrum (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae) • A New Species from mid-western Ecuador, long misidentified as T. dendriticus
Abstract Telipogon cruentilabrum, from the cloud montane forest of mid-western Ecuador, is proposed as a new species. Plants of T. cruentilabrum are characterized by the yellow flowers with dark yellow longitudinal veins and tortuous, occasionally branched transversal lines; petals and lip with heavily undulate blades and irregularly reflexed margins; petals with a dark red-brown, swollen base; lip with a conspicuous radial, red-purple basal stain; a large, dark purple-red, elevated callus; anther profusely surrounded by three tufts of red-purple setae; and the stigma wide, sub-trapezoid, dark purple. This species has long been misidentified as T. dendriticus. Although in the holotype no callus is observed on the lip, and in its description and subsequent citations a callus is never mentioned. We provide here a detailed description, figures, distributional map and comparison with its morphological most similar species, T. tamboensis, and also include arguments to discriminate it from T. dendriticus. Endangered species, New species, Telipogon Alliance, Monocots  Gabbriel A. ITURRALDE, Marco M. JIMÉNEZ, Marco F. MONTEROS, Carlos MARTEL and Luis E. BAQUERO. 2025. Telipogon cruentilabrum (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae): A New Species from mid-western Ecuador, long misidentified as T. dendriticus. Phytotaxa. 694(3); 271-280. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.694.3.6 [2025-03-24] |
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