Blurring the limits of anaxyelid subfamilies: a new genus and species (Hymenoptera: Anaxyelidae) from the Albian of the Republic of Korea

Abstract

Hanguksyntexis haeretica gen. et sp. nov. is the first Anaxyelidae described and illustrated from the early Albian Jinju Formation (Republic of Korea). This new taxon is attributed to the subfamily Syntexinae because of its forewing venation (i.e., 1-Rs+M forking at 1m-cu level), but differs from all other syntexines genera because of its peculiar shape and length of 2r cell (ca. twice as long as wide, not distinctly widened apically nor basally) and by its vein 6-Rs strongly curved distally towards wing margin. The discovery of this new genus challenges the clear differentiation between Anaxyelinae and Syntexinae, prompting a thorough discussion on the diagnostic value of the wing venation characters that were previously used to distinguish the two subfamilies. Consequently, the genus Cretosyntexis Rasnitsyn & Martínez-Delclòs, 2000 is transferred to Anaxyelinae.