A new fossil species of Trentepohlia (Diptera, Limoniidae) from the Dominican Miocene

Abstract

We present the description of a new species of Limoniidae Rondani, 1856. Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) miocenica Mederos & Wang n. sp. is described from resinites (little or poorly polymerized amber) of Yanigua Formation, in the Eastern District of Dominican Republic, well differentiated from the other species from the fossil record of Hispaniola to date, Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) agri Podenas & Poinar, 1999. A key to the five fossil species of the subgenus Paramongoma Brunetti, 1911 described to date is also offered. Since the biology of the immature stages of Paramongoma are associated with aquatic microhabitats (such as phytotelmata and small mountain streams), the occurrence of such microhabitats can therefore be hypothesized in the area then occupied by the Hispaniolan paleo-island. The records of extant species of the subgenus Paramongoma from several islands of the Lesser and Greater Antilles, as well as presence of the suitable ecological conditions, offers the possibility of finding living species of Trentepohlia Bigot, 1854 at Hispaniola, which is currently the only large island in the Caribbean without records of the genus.

We present the description of a new species of Limoniidae Rondani, 1856. Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) miocenica Mederos & Wang n. sp. is described from resinites (little or poorly polymerized amber) of Yanigua Formation, in the Eastern District of Dominican Republic, well differentiated from the other species from the fossil record of Hispaniola to date, Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) agri Podenas & Poinar, 1999. A key to the five fossil species of the subgenus Paramongoma Brunetti, 1911 described to date is also offered. Since the biology of the immature stages of Paramongoma are associated with aquatic microhabitats (such as phytotelmata and small mountain streams), the occurrence of such microhabitats can therefore be hypothesized in the area then occupied by the Hispaniolan paleo-island. The records of extant species of the subgenus Paramongoma from several islands of the Lesser and Greater Antilles, as well as presence of the suitable ecological conditions, offers the possibility of finding living species of Trentepohlia Bigot, 1854 at Hispaniola, which is currently the only large island in the Caribbean without records of the genus.

We present the description of a new species of Limoniidae Rondani, 1856. Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) miocenica Mederos & Wang n. sp. is described from resinites (little or poorly polymerized amber) of Yanigua Formation, in the Eastern District of Dominican Republic, well differentiated from the other species from the fossil record of Hispaniola to date, Trentepohlia (Paramongoma) agri Podenas & Poinar, 1999. A key to the five fossil species of the subgenus Paramongoma Brunetti, 1911 described to date is also offered. Since the biology of the immature stages of Paramongoma are associated with aquatic microhabitats (such as phytotelmata and small mountain streams), the occurrence of such microhabitats can therefore be hypothesized in the area then occupied by the Hispaniolan paleo-island. The records of extant species of the subgenus Paramongoma from several islands of the Lesser and Greater Antilles, as well as presence of the suitable ecological conditions, offers the possibility of finding living species of Trentepohlia Bigot, 1854 at Hispaniola, which is currently the only large island in the Caribbean without records of the genus.