Abstract. Protostephanus ashmeadi Cockerell is confirmed to be a stephanid, and illustrated. The taxonomic status of Protostephanus Cockerell and Electrostephanus Brues, their relationships with extant genera of Stephanidae, and problems in defining or synonymizing fossil genera of the family are discussed. Electrostephanus is provisorilyredefined, two fossil species, E. sulcatus sp. n. and E. neovenatus sp. n. are described and illustrated from male specimens preserved in Eocene Baltic amber, and a key to species provided. [Fac Simile of the first page]
![[Fac Simile of the first page]](../stephanids/entscan.gif){kind=link}
Two genera of fossil Stephanidae have been proposed, Protostephanus Cockerell, 1905, for one species from the Tertiary shales of Florissant, Colorado; and Electrostephanus Brues, 1933, created for three species from Baltic amber. Brues suggested that Cockerell's genus was not a stephanid, because it seemed to lack a toothed hind femur, a synapomorphy for the family. Brues, however, never examined the type specimen, basing his opinion exclusively on Cockerell's description.
In this work, we confirm that genus Protostephanus Cockerell is based on a specimen which indeed belongs to the family Stephanidae.
Brues's types could not be located, but by examining the illustrations provided in his paper, and two stephanid specimens recently discoverd in Baltic amber (one of them illustratated below), it was possible to reevaluate the taxonomic status of Electrostephanus, which was then redefined. The taxon itself is distinct from all other genera of extant Stephanidae, but may be a junior synonym for Protostephanus Cockerell.
There is a single specimen known for Protostephanus. This specimen is in bad condition, and is a female, making it very difficutl to compare with Electrostephanus, which is based solely on males (Males and females of Stephanidae are not fully comparable.)
Click on image to see detail of head+thorax
(Drawing and Pictures by J.-W. Janzen)
This page last updated: January 21, 1999.
| Alexandre Pires Aguiar |