The second genus of pond treaders (Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae) from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

Abstract

A new semi-aquatic bug genus of the family Mesoveliidae is described and illustrated from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, as Cretamesovelia pellai gen. et sp. nov. This new taxon represents the second mesoveliid genus documented from the deposits of Noije Bum Hill in northern Myanmar. Together with the recently described genus Myanmarvelia, this taxon provides further insights of the past diversity of semi-aquatic bugs. The new genus is distinguished from the other mesoveliid genera by the following combination of characters: head longer than pronotum; eyes not reduced; antennae shorter than body; rostrum reaching metacoxae; presence of antennal and femoral bristles; mesonotum shorter than pronotum; posterior margin of metanotum curved; metatarsi II longest; apterous.