Here we provide evidence for the presence of non-biting midges of the subfamily Chironominae in the Mesozoic, based on descriptions of exceptionally rare amber inclusions. The subfamily has already been reported, but based on a single and unspecified record from Late Cretaceous Taimyr amber (~84 Mya). That record is here revised and confirmed. Moreover, a new find in Burmese amber locates the temporal boundary of the subfamily back to the mid-Cretaceous (probably ~100 Mya). We describe two new genera assigned to the tribe Pseudochironomini: Mesoacentron gen. nov. with the species Mesoacentron kaluginae sp. nov. (Taimyr amber) and Palaeocentron gen. nov. with the species Palaeocentron krzeminskii sp. nov. (Burmese amber), the oldest known representative of the subfamily. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed, and a key to the identification of adult males of extinct and extant Pseudochironomini genera is presented. Insights in the phylogeny and diversification tempo of the Chironominae and Pseudochironomini in the past are also provided.

Sexual conflict – opposite reproductive/genetic interests between sexes – can be a significant driver of insect evolution. Scorpionflies (Insecta: Mecoptera) are models in sexual conflict research due to their large variety of mating practices, including coercive behaviour and nuptial gift provisioning. However, the role of palaeontology in sexual conflict studies remains negligible, namely due to the paucity of well-preserved fossils. Here, we describe three male scorpionflies from Cretaceous and Eocene ambers. The structure of notal and postnotal organs is analysed in extant and extinct forms; a depression below the base of the notal organ in different panorpid species spatially matches the anterior fold of the female’s wing. Based on disparate abdominal configurations and correlations in extant relatives, we posit that each new fossil taxon had a different mating approach along a nuptial gifting-coercive spectrum. The Eocene specimen possesses extreme female clamping abdominal armature, suggesting a degree of sexual coercion greater than in any other known scorpionfly, extinct or extant. The fossil record of abdominal modifications in male scorpionflies documents a relatively late evolution (Eocene) of long notal organs indicating oppressive behaviour toward a female during mating. Our findings reveal a wider array of mating-related morphological specialisations among extinct Panorpoidea, likely reflecting more diversified past mating strategies and behaviours in this group, and represent first steps towards gaining a deep-time perspective on the evolution of sexual conflict over mating among insects.

Nannotanyderus oliviae sp. nov. from the Lower Jurassic (Sinemurian) of England, the oldest representative of family Tanyderidae, is described and illustrated.

A new fossil genus of Bibionidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha), Burmahesperinus gen. nov., from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, is described and illustrated (type species Burmahesperinus antennatus sp. nov., the other two species included are B. conicus sp. nov. and B. pedicellatus sp. nov.). The new genus is tentatively placed in a new subfamily, Burmahesperininae subfam. nov. of the family Bibionidae. Its possible phylogenetic position is briefly discussed. The new genus, as well as the subfamily, possesses the wing venation similar to the recent genus Hesperinus Walker, 1848, in combination with Brachycera-like modification of both the male and female antenna and the overall habitus typical of fungus gnats (Sciaroidea).

Dong, F., Shih, C.K., Skibińska, K., Krzemiński, W. & Ren, D., 10.4.2015. New species of Tanyderidae (Diptera) from the Jiulongshan Formation of China. Alcheringa 39, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518 Two new tanyderid species of Praemacrochile Kalugina, 1985 (P. dryasis, P. ovalum) and one new tanyderid species of Protanyderus Handlirsch, 1909 (P. astictum) are described and illustrated from the late Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou in eastern Inner Mongolia, China. These species are circumscribed using well-preserved fossil specimens with bodies and complete wings. We also collected and identified new material of two species of Praemacrochile (P. ansorgei Lukashevich & Krzemiński and P. chinensis, Krzemiński & Ren) and one species of Protanyderus (P. vulcanium Zhang) from the same locality. Fei Dong [ 123dongfeifei@163. com ], Dong Ren [ rendong@mail. cnu. edu. cn ] and Chungkun Shih [ chungkun. shih@gmail. com ], College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuanbeilu 105, Haidian District, Beijing, PR China 100048; Kornelia Skibińska [ yukisiak@gmail. com ] Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland; Wiesław Krzemiński [ wieslawk4@gmail. com ] Pedagogical University of Cracow, Faculty of Geography and Biology, Institute of Biology, ul. Podchorążych 2, 30-084 Kraków, małopolskie, Poland.

A new fossil genus and species of Keroplatidae (Diptera, Bibionomorpha, Sciaroidea), Adamacrocera adami gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber is described and illustrated. Based on morphological evidence, it is placed in a new subfamily Adamacrocerinae subfam. nov. The new genus, as well as the subfamily, possesses the wing venation characteristic of the genera of some Sciaroidea incertae sedis, as well as that of the fossil families Archizelmiridae, Antefungivoridae and Mesosciophilidae, in combination with macrocerine-like habitus and male terminalia.