New data on Early Cretaceous odonatans (Stenophlebiidae, Aeschnidiidae) from northern China

Liaostenophlebia yixianensis gen. et sp. nov., a new stenophlebiid damsel-dragonfly, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, northern China. It is the third Chinese damsel-dragonfly belonging to the family Stenophlebiidae to be described. Liaostenophlebia gen. nov. differs from the other genera of Stenophlebiidae in having Ax2 shifted just above MAb, a transverse and narrow Hal, a more curved anterior side of the hypertriangle, and a broader cubital-anal area. Sinostenophlebia zhanjiakouensis Hong, 1984 was previously attributed to Stenophlebiidae and hardly compares with other genera within this family. A check of the plates of the type species (Sinostenophlebia zhanjiakouensis Hong, 1984) suggests that Sinostenophlebia Hong, 1984 should be a member of the family Aeschnidiidae and it is very likely that this genus is a junior synonym of Leptaeschnidium Pritykina, 1977. The new data increases the diversity of both Stenophlebiidae and Aeschnidiidae in the Lower Cretaceous of China.