Scorpionflies (Mecoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of Myanmar

Scorpionflies (Mecoptera) are one of the minor orders of extant insects but were much more abundant in the past ecosystems. A brief review of Mecoptera recorded in the late Albian Kachin amber assemblages is provided herein. In the last decade, a total of 8 genera and 12 species organized in 6 families (Pseudopolycentropodidae, Meropeidae, Bittacidae, Aneuretopsychidae, Eomeropidae, and Orthophlebiidae) have been recorded in the amber, indicating that the mid-Cretaceous diversity of Mecoptera was higher than expected. The palaeodiversity, phylogeny, and palaeoecology of each family is summarized, providing significant fossil data to help unravel the evolutionary history of the Mecoptera.