''Parasabatinca'' is an extinct

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of small primitive metallic moths within the extant

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Micropterigidae Micropterigoidea is the superfamily of "mandibulate archaic moths", all placed in the single family Micropterigidae, containing currently about twenty living genera. They are considered the most primitive extant lineage of lepidoptera (Kristense ...

or extinct family

Eolepidopterigidae Eolepidopterigoidea is an extinct superfamily of moths, containing the single family Eolepidopterigidae, although the genus ''Undopterix'' is sometimes placed in a separate family Undopterigidae. The type-genus of the family is ''Eolepidopterix'' ...

, containing two species. The first is ''Parasabatinca aftimacrai'', of which fossil remains have been found in Lebanese

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In Ma ...

and have been dated to the

Lower Cretaceous Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated about five miles south west of Dursley, eight ...

Description

These fossil moths have similarly shaped wings and wing scales, with abundant microtrichia on the wing membrane, comparable with recent

species such as ''

Sabatinca ''Sabatinca'' is a genus of small primitive metallic moths in the family Micropterigidae. '' Palaeomicra'' and '' Micropardalis'' were both established as subgenera of ''Sabatinca'', but were both raised to generic level by Joël Minet in 1985. ...

'' and ''

Micropteryx ''Micropterix'' is a genus of small primitive metallic moths, in the insect order lepidoptera within the family Micropterigidae. The name was raised by the German entomologist, Jacob Hübner in 1825 and comes from the Greek for ''mikros'', ...

'', but differences from them by the lack of ocelli and the apparent absence of a branch of the subcostal vein. The species is close to ''Sabatinca'' with which it has more characters in common than with ''Micropterix''. ''Parasabatinca caldasae'' is known from two specimens from the

Crato Formation The Crato Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous ( Aptian) age in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin. It is an important Lagerstätte (undisturbed fossil accumulation) for palaeontologists. The strata were laid down mostly duri ...

in Brazil. The age of the fossil has been estimated to be between 125 and 112 Ma, since it was discovered in Crato fossil beds (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian).nkis.info
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References

† † Fossil Lepidoptera Cretaceous insects Prehistoric insects of Asia Fossils of Lebanon Early Cretaceous animals of South America Cretaceous Brazil Fossils of Brazil Crato Formation Fossil taxa described in 1978 {{cretaceous-insect-stub