First evidence of Limoniidae (Diptera: Nematocera) in French amber from Oise

TL;DR

This study reports the first Limoniidae flies found in 55–53 million-year-old French amber, revealing new species and insights into Early Eocene ecosystems.

Contribution

The first discovery of Limoniidae in Oise amber, offering new insights into Early Eocene fly diversity and evolution.

Findings

Three new Limoniidae species were identified in Early Eocene amber from Oise, France.

The species composition in Oise amber differs from that in Baltic amber, despite similar geography.

The findings enhance understanding of Limoniidae evolution during the Early Eocene.

Abstract

This paper describes three new species found as inclusions in Early Eocene amber from Oise (northern France). Two of these species belong to the genus Cheilotrichia: Cheilotrichia oisensis Kopeć, Krzemiński & Kania-Kłosok sp. nov, Cheilotrichia gallica Kopeć, Krzemiński & Kania-Kłosok sp. nov., while one represents the genus Dicranomyia: Dicranomyia (Dicranomyia) podenasi Kopeć, Krzemiński & Kania-Kłosok sp. nov. This marks the first discovery of Limoniidae representatives in Oise amber, the oldest known Eocene resin, dating back approximately 55–53 Ma (Early Eocene, Ypresian). Our analysis indicates that the species composition of Limoniidae (Diptera, Nematocera) in Oise amber differs from that in Baltic amber. Despite their similar geographical origins, these ambers were produced in different periods and by different trees. The study of Oise amber provides valuable insights into the fauna of the earliest Eocene. These new discoveries contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary history of Limoniidae, particularly during the Early Eocene.

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