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Megathon

Insecta - Diptera - Blephariceridae

Taxonomy
Megathon was named by Lukashevich and Shcherbakov (1997). It is not extant. Its type is Megathon zwicki.

It was assigned to Blepharicerini by Lukashevich and Shcherbakov (1997).

Species
M. brodskyi, M. zwicki (type species)

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1997Megathon Lukashevich and Shcherbakov p. 640

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Protostomia
—Ecdysozoa
—Panarthropoda
phylumArthropodaLatreille 1829
superclassHexapodaLatreille 1825
RankNameAuthor
classInsecta
orderDiptera
suborderNematoceraLatreille 1825
infraorderBlephariceromorpha
familyBlephariceridaeLoew 1862
subfamilyBlepharicerinaeLoew 1862
tribeBlepharicerini
genusMegathon

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. †Megathon Lukashevich and Shcherbakov 1997
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†Megathon brodskyi Zhang and Lukashevich 2007
†Megathon zwicki Lukashevich and Shcherbakov 1997
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. D. Lukashevich and D. E. Shcherbakov 1997(some suprageneric characters visible in these fossils included): Blephariceridae: characteristic habitus and venation; legs very long, preserved with tibiae adduced to femora; hind legs more stout and probably longer than fore ones; claws large. Blepharicerinae: Less than 4 R branches reach wing margin; Rs without basal spur. Blepharicerini: M3 (M2 of authors) free (not connected to other veins). Very large midge. Antenna less than twice as long as head width; flagellum cylindrical, flagellomeres longer than wide, terminal one tapered. Eyes bisected (upper division with larger ommatidia), glabrous, holoptic in male and dichoptic in female. Wing widest about midlength. Rs forking into long R2+3 and short R4+5 stalk. R2+3 entering RI distally much longer than Rl+2+3. Distal R5 curved backwards. bm-cu (in fact bas M 3 + 4) present. Female terminalia: Posterior margin of 8 th sternum broadly bilobate, lobes rounded, median depression V-shaped, its base with rectangular internal sclerotization. 9th tergum distolaterally not expanded, with normal (slender, slightly elongate) setae.