Nanoleon Hu, Lu & Liu, 2019

Genus Nanoleon Hu, Lu & Liu gen. nov.

Type species. Nanoleon wangae Hu, Lu & Liu sp. nov.

Diagnosis. The new genus is characterized by a series of combinational characters: (1) forewing RP þ MA diverging from RA well distad wing base (shared by Burmaneura and pseudonymphine genera; near wing base in araripeneurinae genera); (2) one forewing presectorial crossvein present (forewing lacking presectorial crossveins in Araripeneurinae and Pseudonymphinae ; forewing with three or more presectorial crossveins in other antlion subfamilies); (3) one hind wing presectorial crossvein present (shared by Caririneura , Burmaneura and many extant antlion species; absent in most species of Araripeneurinae and Pseudonymphinae ); (4) initial branching point of forewing MP 2 þ CuA slightly distad diverging point of RP þ MA from RA (shared by Burmaneura , Choromyrmeleon , and the pseudonymphine genera, but almost at the same level in most araripeneurinae genera); (5) CuA2 short (shared by Burmaneura , Choromyrmeleon , the pseudonymphinae genera, and all extant antlions; long in Araripeneurinae ).

Etymology. From nanos (Greek, meaning ‘small’) and leon (Greek, meaning ‘lion’, being as a frequent suffix of the genus-group name of Myrmeleontidae ). An allusion to the small size of the species included in the genus. Gender neutral.

Remarks. The placement of Nanoleon in Myrmeleontidae is undoubted considering the short and clubbed antenna as well as the presence of presectorial crossveins in both wings, but the subfamilial affiliation of the new genus is still unclear. The presence of only one presectorial crossvein in both fore- and hind wings is rarely found in Myrmeleontidae . The result of present phylogenetic analysis suggests its closer relationship with extant antlions. Notably, the new genus possesses the forewing CuP distally fused with A1, which is an important diagnostic character of the subfamily Myrmeleontinae . However, Nanoleon lacks the sensory hair on pro- and mesofemora, and it has relatively long pretarsal claws, apparently being different from the species of Myrmeleontinae .