Two new species of Tasiocera Skuse from Baltic amber (Diptera, Limoniidae).

The paper presents very rare fossil record of crane flies. Inclusions in Baltic amber have documented the second evidence of the existence of the genus Tasiocera (Diptera: Limoniidae: Chioneinae) in ancient epochs of Earth's history. Hypotheses were also introduced regarding the environmental preferences of fossil Dasymolopilus in relation to modern representatives of the subgenus. The genus is numerous in species and widespread in the modern fauna, while only one species, Tasiocera (Dasymolophilus) circumcincta, has been known from the fossil record to date. The paper presents an additional description and graphic documentation of this species based on new materials. The discovery of two other species Tasiocera (Dasymolophilus) gorskii sp. nov. and Tasiocera (Dasymolophilus) baltica sp. nov. in Eocene resins documents the occurence of Tasiocera since Eocene. Interestingly, only subgenus Dasymolophilus is represented both in extinct and extant fauna while subgenus Tasiocera is not known from the fossil record. The new discovery is very significant, and the result of the study adds a brick to our understanding of the evolution of this group of insects and their habitat.

New fossil data reveal evolutionary pathways within the genus Trichoneura Loew, 1850 (Diptera, Limoniidae).

New inclusions of Trichoneura preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kachin amber allow the description of a new subgenus, Burmania subgen. nov., and four new species: Trichoneura (Burmania) burmitensis subgen. et sp. nov., Trichoneura (Burmania) chungkuni subgen. et sp. nov., Trichoneura (Burmania) sevciki subgen. et sp. nov. and Trichoneura (Burmania) wangi subgen. et sp. nov. The species differ mainly by the morphology of the hypopygium or wing venation but also the construction of the antenna. Based on a comparison of the wing venation and the morphology of the hypopygium it was possible to describe features which are characteristic of the new subgenus, especially the presence of vein R3+4. Moreover, it was possible to elucidate the evolutionary pattern of Trichoneura with two distinct extant and extinct branches. Trichoneura (Trichoneura) canadensis from Upper Cretaceous Canadian amber is transferred to the new subgenus Burmania.

Early stage of evolution of Gonomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae), new significant discoveries in the Cretaceous Iberian and Kachin amber.

Thanks to detailed studies of inclusions in Spanish and Kachin amber, it was also possible to study the morphology of insects belonging to the genus Gonomyia. A new material under investigation made it possible to establish two new nominative for science subgenera within the genus Gonomyia has been designated with unique set of characters of antenna, wing venation and genitalia. Two new species within two new subgenera have been described and documented by drawings and photographs, there are Gonomyia (Iberiana) penalveri subgen. et sp. nov. and Gonomyia (Cretagonomyia) burmitica subgen. et sp. nov. The new discovery is the first record of the genus Gonomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) in Cretaceous Spanish amber and the second in Kachin amber. The new discovery adds to the knowledge of the crane fies' diversity and evolution, especially its first stage in the Cretaceous.

New finding of Toxorhina (Ceratocheilus) limoniid fly in Eocene Baltic amber and the biogeographical context of the genus.

Based on new fossil materials, a new species Toxorhina (Ceratocheilus) christelius sp. nov. has been described herein with complete documentation of drawings and photographs. Features such as wide spine on the gonocoxite differentiating the new species of Toxorhina were discussed. Finding new interesting fossil materials also allowed for providing an emended diagnosis and additional description of known Eocene species-Toxorhina (Ceratocheilus) eridanus. Comparison of chosen morphological features of fossil and recent representatives of the genus were given and key for fossil species of subgenus Ceratocheilus was introduced. Distribution of recent Toxorhina and evolutionary history of the genus were discussed. The results of research on fossil materials prove that the stratigraphic range of the subgenus Ceratocheilus and the genus Toxorhina goes back to the Eocene, there is no evidence of their existence on Earth before. Moreover, these insects were probably associated with a warm climate, they were found for example in Baltic amber, the deposits of which were formed mainly in a subtropical climate. The reach diversity of the genus Toxorhina of recent fauna is strictly observed in tropical zones around the world.

Cretaceous Antodicranomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) and their paleohabitat.

New representatives of the Cretaceous cranefly genus Antodicranomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) are reported from Albian-Cenomanian Charentese (French) amber. The newly reported specimens allow for an emended diagnosis of the type species A. azari, as well as the description of a new species, Antodicranomyia rubra sp. nov., which is mostly distinguished from the type species by features of its wing venation, antennae, and genitalia. As a rare, extinct genus known only from French amber, Antodicranomyia is compared with its closest relative genera Antocha, Dicranomyia and Antohelia. The evolutionary implications and paleohabitat of Antodicranomyia are discussed. The new discovery adds to the knowledge of the crane flies' diversity and evolution in the mid-Cretaceous.

Morphology of the oldest fossil subfamily of Limoniidae (Diptera, Architipulinae) in the light of exceptionally preserved Mesozoic material.

Based on known fossil evidence the extinct subfamily Architipulinae is considered to be the oldest evolutionary group of the Limoniidae, the largest family within the infraorder Tipulomorpha. The morphology of this subfamily, which includes 11 genera, has so far been based mainly on wing venation. New well-preserved representatives of the genus Cretolimonia Kalugina, 1986 were recovered from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary of Shevia and Daya, Transbaikalia, as well as from mid-Cretaceous amber from Kachin, Myanmar. This new material enriches our knowledge of the subfamily Architipulinae and of the genus Cretolimonia, and allows us to ascertain the detailed morphological structure of the female copulatory apparatus with spermathecae and the structure of the male hypopygium. The combination of detailed impression fossils with a specimen preserved three-dimensionally in resin has permitted study of the morphology of this Mesozoic fly genus almost to the level of modern genera. The paper includes descriptions of four new species of Cretolimonia: C. lukashevichae sp. nov., C. pseudojurassica sp. nov., C. dayana sp. nov. from sedimentary rocks, and C. mikolajczyki sp. nov. from Myanmar amber, supported with a key to all known species.

Recent discoveries of new Elephantomyia (Diptera, Limoniidae) fossils in Baltic amber.

New data on the genus Elephantomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) from Baltic amber are presented. A new subgenus Hoffeinsonia subgen. nov. is established with one new species: Elephantomyia (Hoffeinsonia) prima sp. nov. The new subgenus is characterized by a wing at most 2.5 × as long as it is wide without a darker pattern along the veins Sc and R1, elongate Sc, straight vein R1, sharp half of vein R2+3+4 sharply arched to the upper edge of the wing, short, wide, trapezoidal d-cell and oval pterostigma. The fossil subgenus Hoffeinsonia subgen. nov. shares features with the extant subgenera Elephantomyodes and Elephantomyia. One other extinct species of Elephantomyia was discovered and described herein as E. (s. str.) christelae sp. nov. Such features as a very elongate vein R2+3+4, 2.5 × as long as the Rs easily allowing this new species to be distinguished from the other fossil representatives of the genus Elephantomyia. The taxonomic decision on Elephantomyia grata as a species placed in nominative subgenus is provided. A list and key of fossil species of Elephantomyia are given. The morphological pattern of the genus is discussed in relation to the adaptation to a specific food spectrum, coevolution with Angiospermae of the representative genus Helius known since Cretaceous and closely related to this genus representatives of the much younger genus Elephantomyia.

Phylogeny and biogeography of the enigmatic ghost lineage Cylindrotomidae (Diptera, Nematocera).

Ghost lineages have always challenged the understanding of organism evolution. They participate in misinterpretations in phylogenetic, clade dating, biogeographic, and paleoecologic studies. They directly result from fossilization biases and organism biology. The Cylindrotomidae are a perfect example of an unexplained ghost lineage during the Mesozoic, as its sister family Tipulidae is already well diversified during the Cretaceous, while the oldest Cylindrotomidae are Paleogene representatives of the extant genus Cylindrotoma and of the enigmatic fossil genus Cyttaromyia. Here we clarify the phylogenetic position of Cyttaromyia in the stem group of the whole family, suggesting that the crown group of the Cylindrotomidae began to diversify during the Cenozoic, unlike their sister group Tipulidae. We make a comparative analysis of all species in Cyttaromyia, together with the descriptions of the two new species, C. gelhausi sp. nov. and C. freiwaldi sp. nov., and the revision of C. obdurescens. The cylindrotomid biogeography seems to be incongruent with the phylogenetic analysis, the apparently most derived subfamily Stibadocerinae having apparently a 'Gondwanan' distribution, with some genera only known from Australia or Chile, while the most inclusive Cylindrotominae are Holarctic.

Two new long-rostrum cranefly species from the Cretaceous Iberian amber (Diptera, Limoniidae, Helius).

First record of the genus Helius-long-rostrum cranefly from Maestrazgo Basin (eastern Spain, Iberian Penisula) is documented. Two new fossil species of the genus Helius are described from Cretaceous Spanish amber and compared with other species of the genus known from fossil record with particular references to these known from Cretaceous period. Helius turolensis sp. nov. is described from San Just amber (Lower Cretaceous, upper Albian) Maestrazgo Basin, eastern Spain, and Helius hispanicus sp. nov. is described from Álava amber (Lower Cretaceous, upper Albian), Basque-Cantabrian Basin, northern Spain. The specific body morphology of representatives of the genus Helius preserved in Spanish amber was discussed in relation to the environmental conditions of the Maestrazgo Basin and Basque-Cantabrian Basin in Cretaceous.

The Oldest Evolutionary Lineage of Trichoneura Loew, 1850 (Diptera, Limoniidae) and the First Evidence of This Genus in Cretaceous Spanish Amber.

A new subgenus Cretalinea subgen. nov. of Trichoneura (Diptera, Limoniidae) is established with one new species: Trichoneura (Cretalinea) xavieri subgen. et sp. nov. This is the first report of the genus Trichoneura in Spanish amber and the first record of the genus from the Lower Cretaceous period. The oldest described species of Trichoneura is compared with other species of the genus with particular reference to those known species from the Upper Cretaceous. A list and key of fossil species of Trichoneura are given.

Fossils Shed a New Light on the Diversity and Disparity of the Family Limoniidae (Diptera, Nematocera).

A new subfamily Drinosinae (Diptera, Limoniidae) is established with two fossil genera, Drinosa and Decessia gen. nov. with one new species, Decessia podenasi gen. et sp. nov. from Cretaceous Burmese amber. Additional description of Drinosa prisca is based on new material. A new subfamily shows unique reduction of radial veins combined with complete set of medial veins.