Lygistorrhinidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha: Sciaroidea) in early Eocene Cambay amber

Area of Science:

• Paleontology
• Entomology
• Biogeography

Background:

• The family Lygistorrhinidae comprises rare fossil fungus gnats.
• Previous fossil records of Lygistorrhinidae were primarily from Baltic amber, dating to the Eocene epoch.
• Knowledge of Lygistorrhinidae diversity in the Eocene of India was limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe new taxa of Lygistorrhinidae from early Eocene Cambay amber.
• To enhance the understanding of Lygistorrhinidae diversity and biogeography during the Eocene.
• To investigate faunal links between Indian and European amber deposits.

Main Methods:

• Taxonomic description of fossil specimens based on morphological characteristics.
• Comparative analysis with extant and fossil Lygistorrhinidae genera.
• Paleontological dating and stratigraphic context of amber samples.

Main Results:

• One new genus, *Indorrhina* n. gen., and three new species, *Lygistorrhina indica* n. sp., *Indorrhina sahnii* n. gen. et sp., and *Palaeognoriste orientale* n. sp., are described.
• *Lygistorrhina indica* represents the oldest fossil record for the extant genus *Lygistorrhina*.
• The discovery of *Palaeognoriste orientale* in Cambay amber suggests faunal connections between India and Europe during the Eocene.

Conclusions:

• The described taxa significantly expand the known diversity of Lygistorrhinidae in the Eocene.
• The findings support the hypothesis of faunal exchange between Asia and Europe prior to the formation of Cambay amber.
• This study highlights the importance of Cambay amber for understanding Eocene paleobiogeography.