First Lebanese dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata, Aeshnoptera, Cavilabiata) from the Arabo-African mid-Cretaceous paleocontinent

A new hawker dragonfly Libanoliupanshania mimi gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the lower upper Cenomanian of Hjoula (Lebanon). Its discovery shows that the Cretaceous family Liupanshaniidae, currently recorded from South America and Eurasia, was also present in the Arabo-African Cretaceous paleocontinent. Also a new 'libelluloid' family Libanocorduliidae fam. nov. is described and illustrated on the basis of the new genus and species Libanocordulia debiei gen. et sp. nov. This taxon is characterized by a unique shape of the hindwing subdiscoidal space. Paleobiogeographic implications are discussed. The mid-Cretaceous marine outcrop of Hjoula is potentially a new insect konservat-Lagerstätte liable to provide crucial information on the entomofauna of the paleo-Arabo-African continent at that time.