A new genus and species of damsel-dragonfly (Odonata: Stenophlebiidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China

A taxon of the Stenophlebiidae, Yixianstenophlebia magnifica gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Liutiaogou, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia of China. Its closest relative is the Late Jurassic European genus Stenophlebia. This new discovery is helpful to understand the Jehol Biota assemblage at Liutiaogou Locality. It also confirms that the Stenophlebiidae was a very diverse and widespread family during the Early Cretaceous. The causes of its extinction in the Late Cretaceous remain enigmatic.