The oldest unquestionable fishfly, Izyumochauliodes aristovi gen. et sp. nov. (Corydalidae, Chauliodinae), is described based on several larval fossils from the Upper Triassic Garazhovka locality in eastern Ukraine (Seversky Donets River basin, Kharkiv Region). The new genus with a typical Chauliodinae structure of the abdomen is distinguished from all other genera of the subfamily by having the occipital suture ventrally directed forward along the gula and reaching the submentum, and by the shape of mandibula with evenly curved inner margin, both characters similar to Sialidae. Another, poorly preserved larva, found in the same locality, is attributed to Sialidae incertae sedis and also represents the oldest record of the family. The co-occurrence of fossil larvae of both known families in the same locality is the palaeontological evidence for the Triassic divergence of the extant megalopteran lineages.

Eomeropidae is a relict family of Mecoptera with the sole living species, Notiothauma reedi McLachlan, 1877, inhabiting western parts of southern Chilean Valdivian forests. The family was more widely distributed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, being known from 13 fossil species ranging in age from Early Jurassic to Oligocene (Soszyńska-Maj et al., 2016; Archibald & Rasnitsyn, 2018; Zhao et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2022). The oldest fossil eomeropid, Jurachorista bashkuevi Soszyńska-Maj, Krzemiński, Kopeć & Coram, 2016, was described from the Lower Jurassic Charmouth Mudstone Formation of Dorset and so far is the only find of the family in Britain and in Europe. Here we report the second one, from the Lower Cretaceous (lower Barremian) upper Weald Clay Formation of Smokejacks brickworks, Surrey. The new species is most closely allied to Jurathauma Zhang, Shih, Petrulevičius & Ren, 2011 and Typhothauma Ren & Shih, 2005 from the Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of China respectively. However, the incomplete preservation hampers its generic identification, although the type locality is an active site (Jarzembowski, 2021) and additional material may be recovered in future.

Three new species of the genus Antiquanabittacus Petrulevicius et Jarzembowski, 2004 are described from the Lower Cretaceous Khasurty fossil site in western Transbaikalia (south-east Siberia): A. saltator sp. nov., A. robustus sp. nov., and A. dispar sp. nov. Revealed characters in body structure, particularly of male and female postabdomen and tarsal grasping mechanism, which includes the finely toothed tarsomeres 3, 4 and 5, confirm affinity of Antiquanabittacus with Jurassic Liaobittacus longantennatus Ren, 1993, and extant Anabittacus iridipennis Kimmins, 1929 and Orobittacus obscurus Villegas et Byers, 1981. (c) 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remarkable new finds of Permotanyderidae, an enigmatic "Diptera-like" mecopteran family hitherto known only from the Upper Permian of Australia, are described from the Upper Permian and transitional Permian-Triassic beds in Russia (northern European Russia, southern Urals, and the Tunguska and Kuznetsk Basins). The new taxa are Permotanyderus sibiricus sp. nov., P. sensibilis sp. nov., P. rakitovi sp. nov., Rudimentanus rieki gen. et sp. nov., R. cisuralicus sp. nov., Permotanyderites pseudopolycentropoides gen. et sp. nov., Chimaeropteron antiquum gen. et sp. nov. and Ch. agmatos sp. nov. The most archaic genus, Chimaeropteron gen. nov., is assigned to the new subfamily Chimaeropterinae. Choristotanyderus nanus Riek, 1953 is transferred to Permotanyderus Riek, 1953. The distinct suctorial mouthparts revealed in P. nanus and the analysis of wing characters provide evidence for the affinity of Permotanyderidae with the long-proboscid families Nedubroviidae and Pseudopolycentropodidae.

. A new species, Holcoptera rasnitsyni sp.n. (Coleoptera: Coptoclavidae), is described based on four specimens from the Upper Triassic (Upper Carnian–Lower Norian) of east Ukraine. The attribution of these

Twelve fossil species of Eomeropidae from the Lower Jurassic to Palaeogene have been reported previously, however, all records are preserved by impression fossil. Herein, we describe a new eomeropid, Burmothauma eureka gen. et sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. The new genus is distinguished from other eomeropid genera in having broadly rounded apices of wing, Sc with two branches, costal space with double-cell row, R with two branches bounding pterostigma, Rs forking proximal to M, the stem of Rs shorter than M, M4 with four branches. This new find is the first eomeropid from Myanmar amber and also the second genus of Cretaceous eomeropids. This discovery further improves our understanding of Mesozoic eomeropids biodiversity.

Pseudoscorpiones is one of the oldest arachnid orders, known in the palaeontological record since the Middle Devonian (c. 390 Ma). The following reliable indications of fossil pseudoscorpions occur in Early Cretaceous amber: Lebanese amber (c. 135-125 Ma), Spanish alava amber (c. 113-100 Ma), Archingeay amber (c. 100 Ma) and Burmese amber (c. 99 Ma). Thus, there is a gap of at least 255-265 myr in the palaeontological record of pseudoscorpions. Therefore, the fossil feaellid pseudoscorpion Archaeofeaella henderickxi gen. et sp. nov., described herein from Triassic deposits of Ukraine (c. 227 Ma) is of exceptional interest. Based on the analysis of previously unknown morphological features for the family Feaellidae, we place A. henderickxi in Archaeofeaellinae subfam. nov. The previously described species Protofeaella peetersae from Burmese amber is placed in Protofeaellinae subfam. nov., based on comparisons with A. henderickxi as more ancient and closer to the basal group, as well with Recent representatives of this family. Based on this new data, we show that the family Feaellidae survived the Triassic break-up of Pangaea, and its earliest find is associated not with Gondwana, but with Laurasia; thus, the current 'Gondwanan distribution' of the family on the continents of the southern hemisphere is a relic of a wider (probably pancontinental) distribution.

This issue of Palaeoentomology is dedicated to the foremost Russian entomologist, palaeontologist, and evolutionary biologist, Alexandr Pavlovich Rasnitsyn, who will be 85 on September 24 this year. The authors and those numerous colleagues, who could not, for various reasons, participate, wish a happy birthday to the undisputed worldwide leader of palaeoentomology!

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030121340013

The paper overviews the fossil record of insects with long mouthparts and rostra adapted to feeding on floral nectar and pollination drops of extinct gymnosperms. The presence of suctorial mouthparts is demonstrated for the first time for the Permian mecopterans Permochoristidae and Permotanyderidae. The long-proboscid scorpionflies Mesopsychidae are recorded for the first time from the Upper Jurassic of Kazakhstan. A new finding of a detached head of a long-proboscid nectar-feeding brachyceran fly is reported from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia. Three major radiations of long-proboscid nectar feeders are identified: the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic, and the Cenozoic one; they were related to the Paleozoic seed ferns, the Bennettitales and other Mesozoic entomophilous gymnosperms, and the flowering plants, respectively. The earliest long-proboscid nectar feeders, found in the Lower Permian deposits of the Cis-Urals, belong to Protomeropidae (stem-Amphiesmenoptera). The few other Paleozoic insects specialized to nectarivory probably also included some long-proboscid Permochoristidae. The diversity of long-proboscid nectar feeders shows a dramatic increase since the Middle Jurassic. About 70 Mesozoic species with preserved long mouthparts and rostra are known to date; they belong to 12 families and 3 orders (Mecoptera, Neuroptera, and Diptera) and can be clustered into three morphogroups. With the beginning of the Cenozoic the long-proboscid Mecoptera and Neuroptera were supplanted by Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera in the nectar-feeding niche, while Diptera on the whole retained this specialization. Considerable abundance of long-proboscid nectar feeders before the appearance of flowers with hidden nectar indicates that complex pollination systems first evolved in gymnosperms. Therefore, insect pollination cannot be considered the key novelty in flowering plants crucial for their evolutionary success.

The systematic position of Microptysmatidae and Protomeropidae is critically reviewed in light of the latest reassessment by Minet et al. The Microptysmatidae belongs to a stem-group of Trichoptera, or at least to stem-Amphiesmenoptera (depending on chosen methodology), rather than to its own order Permotrichoptera as suggested by Minet et al., and Protomeropidae are not Mecoptera. The double anal loop of Kamopanorpa Martynov, 1928 is not significantly different from that of more advanced amphiesmenopterans, while in Microptysmella Kukalová-Peck & Willmann, 1990, anal veins show clear tendency to looping (not a “fairly different arrangement”). If Microptysmatidae are considered in the traditional way, the polarity of characters listed by Minet et al. as supporting monophyly of the order Permotrichoptera can be treated just the opposite: divided veins RS1, RS2 and M1 are symplesiomorphies with Protomeropidae, and simple M4 is the synapomorphy of Microptysmatidae, Cladochoristidae, and Amphiesmenoptera s. str. In addition, three new species of Kamopanorpa are described from the Permian deposits of Minusinsk Coal Basin, South Siberia: Kamopanorpa rasnitsyni sp. nov., K. sivchikovi sp. nov., and K. rotunda sp. nov. Some traits of fore- and hindwing venation of Microptysmatidae are discussed.

Archaeomalthus synoriacos gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Permian Babiy Kamen` locality indicates a remarkable evolutionary stability. Herein we report the oldest record of the family Micromalthidae, Archaeomalthus synoriacos gen. et sp. nov., which demonstrates several plesiomorphic character states, but generally retains most of the apomorphies of Micromalthidae. Archaeomalthus suggests that a distinct simplification of the morphology of adults already evolved in the late Paleozoic, suggesting and early reduction of the role of adults in the life cycle of the group. Despite the marked differences between Archaeomalthus and Micromalthus, the former already show a distinct and apparently very stable degree of deviation from the ground plan of Coleoptera s.str. and s.l. The remarkable series of reductional features shared by the Permian fossil and the extant species include a lightly sclerotized body without distinct surface sculpture, a head lacking dorsal protuberances, shortened and apparently thin elytra, exposed membranous areas behind the procoxae and between at least two basal visible abdominal sternites, and the reversal of the invagination of the terminal abdominal segments. It is likely that the reduced role of adults of Micromalthidae was a syndrome of simplified, vestigial adult morphology characters acquired at least 255 million years ago.

Mesozoic long-proboscid scorpionflies (Mesopsychoidea) provide important clues to ancient plant-pollinator interactions. Among them, the family Aneuretopsychidae is especially important because its mouthparts are vital to deciphering the early evolution of Mesopsychoidea and putatively the origin of fleas (Siphonaptera). However, the identification of mouthpart homologs among Aneuretopsychidae remains controversial because of the lack of three-dimensional anatomical data. Here, we report the first Aneuretopsychidae from Late Cretaceous Burmese amber, which have short maxillary palpi and elongate mouthpart elements consisting of one pair of galeae and one hypopharynx. Their mouthparts are identical to those of Pseudopolycentropodidae (= Dualulidae, new synonym) but are not homologous to those of Siphonaptera. Our phylogenetic analysis provides robust evidence for the debated monophyly of Mesopsychoidea. Our results suggest that the long-proboscid condition has most likely evolved once in Mesopsychoidea, independently from fleas, and further reveal the variety and complexity of mid-Cretaceous pollinating insects.

New insect taxa, Tipuloidea cuyana sp. nov., Cuyanoscytinum arcucciae gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Scytinopteridae), Duraznochorista zavattierii gen. et sp. nov. (Mecoptera: Permochoristidae), and Potrerillopanorpa macloughlini gen. et sp. nov. (Mecoptera: Parachoristidae), are described from the Upper Triassic Potrerillos Formation, at the Quebrada del Durazno locality, in the Cuyana Basin, Mendoza Province, Argentina. The genera Tipuloidea Wieland, 1925 and Argentinocicada Martins-Neto & Gallego, 1999 (Chiliocyclidae) are transferred back from Chiliocyclidae to Scytinopteridae Handlirsch, 1906. The diagnosis and description of Tipuloidea rhaetica Wieland, 1925 are revised and emended. The family Parachoristidae is reported for the first time in the Triassic of South America. Argentinopanorpa miguezi Lara et al., 2015 is tentatively transferred to Parachoristidae based on new data. Distribution data of respective families in Gondwana is updated.

The Khasurty locality (Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia, Russia) is one of the largest fossil insect sites in the region. Over the entire period of study, more than 6000 insect imprints have been collected here, representing 16 orders and 130 families. Dipterans, aphids and hymenopterans are the most common forms here, the most diverse taxa are Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera. In addition to insects, remains of crustaceans, mosses, liverworts and vascular plants were found in Khasurty, as well as occasional finds of arachnids, bird feathers and fish scales. Two new families, 17 new genera and 21 new species of Trichoptera, two new species of Orthoptera, one new genus and species of Phasmatoptera, one new species of Reculida, three new genera and species of Hemiptera, a new genus and species of Thysanoptera, a new genus and species of Hymenoptera, a new subfamily, two new genera and six new species of Lepidoptera, three new genera and four new species of Neuroptera, as well as a new genus and species of liverworts are described. In terms of the composition of the fauna and flora, the Khasurty locality is very peculiar, it includes both Jurassic and Cretaceous taxa, but in general it can be attributed to the Jehol biota.

The remarkable holometabolan larva,Trialarva coburgensisgen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Triassic Hassberge Formation in Lower Franconia, southern Germany. It is the second described fossil larva of so-called "Sialidae-type" after the Middle PermianKargalarva permosialisProkin et al., to which it is morphologically close. The overall morphology of the new larva is best compatible with an interpretation as aquatic larva of beetle, which is strongly supported by the presence (and the first fossil record) of annular-biforous spiracles-the character unique for Coleoptera and suggested as a part of the coleopteran ground pattern.

The first Mesozoic representative of the extinct archostematan beetle family Permocupedidae, Frankencupes ultimus, gen. et sp. nov., is described based on two isolated elytra from the Lower Anisian (Middle Triassic) Röt Formation of Lower Franconia, Germany. The new fossil occurrence extends the range of the family from the Lower Wuchiapingian (Upper Permian) up to the Anisian, and represents a fine example of a Lazarus taxon in the fossil record of beetles.