Department of Integrative Biology

A new genus and species of primitive crane flies, Dacochile microsoma Poinar and Brown (Tanyderidae) is described from Cretaceous Burmese amber. It differs from extant and extinct members of the family by the following combination of characters: small size (wing length, 2.8 mm), reduced anal lobe, hyaline wing membrane, crossvein cua-a(1) forming cell cua, very short vein R2+3, very long terminal maxillary palps, and mandibles. The well-developed mandibles indicate that the species obtained food by piercing and sucking. A list of fossil tanyderids is presented.