Corresponding author: Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn (
Academic editor: V. Gokhman
Rasnitsyn AP (2021) First Jurassic representative of the extinct family Peleserphidae (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea). In: Proshchalykin MYu, Gokhman VE (Eds) Hymenoptera studies through space and time: A collection of papers dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Arkady S. Lelej. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 84: 295–300.
The family
A far older wasp fossil from the well-known Upper Jurassic insect site in the Range Karatau (southern Kazakhstan) (cf.
The holotype specimen under description was collected in the Upper Jurassic deposits of Karabastau Formation near Mikhailovka village, southern Karatau Range, Kazakhstan (
The holotype is photographed at
Head orthognathous. Antenna oligomerous (less than 15-segmented). Fore wing with pterostigma wide (about 3 times as long as wide), rudiment of 1–RS+M present, rudiment of 1m-cu lost, (M+)Cu with rudimentary kinks at 1cu-a and 2cu-a, 1cu-a postfurcal. Female hypopygium short (not much longer than other metasomal sterna).
The new genus differs considerably from both previously known genera of
Type only.
The genus name is dedicated to Prof. Arkady Lelej, an outstanding hymenopterist and my friend.
Same as for the genus because of monotypy.
Holotype only.
Species name is also dedicated to Prof. Arkady Lelej.
The new genus is attributed to the family
Concerning its biology, morphology of the new genus gives little evidence of that kind, so it is possible only to repeat what was earlier suggested for the
I am thankful to the editors of the Special Issue of JHR dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Arkady S. Lelej for their invitation to participate. This work was partially supported by the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences Program “Origin of the Biosphere and Evolution of Geobiological Systems”.