This list of 2023 in paleoentomology records new fossil insect taxa that were described during the year, as well as documents significant paleoentomology discoveries and events which occurred during that year.
Clade Amphiesmenoptera Lepidopterans New lepidopteran taxa NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesNeptis kabutoiwaensisSp. novIn pressAiba, Takahashi & SakamakiPlioceneMotojuku GroupA species of Neptis.Penestola wichardiSp. novValidSolis, Léger & NeumannMioceneDominican amberA species of Penestola.
Lepidopteran research Heikkilä et al. (2023) revise purported bombycoid fossil record, reporting that the earliest fossil material that can be assigned to the superfamily with certainty dates to the middle Miocene, while the majority of purported fossil bombycoids lack definitive bombycoid characters.
Trichopterans New trichopteran taxa NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesArchiphilopotamus expectatusSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaLate JurassicKarabastau FormationA member of the family Philopotamidae.Burmapsyche wolframmeyiSp. novValidWichard & KuranishiLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of Sericostomatoidea belonging to the family Burmapsychidae.Cladochorista curtaSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle–Late TriassicMadygen FormationA member of the family Cladochoristidae.Cladochorista solaSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle–Late TriassicMadygen FormationA member of the family Cladochoristidae.Juraphilopotamus inopinatusSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaLate JurassicKarabastau FormationA member of the family Philopotamidae.Juraphilopotamus similisSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle JurassicItat Formation()A member of the family Philopotamidae.Paduniella cretaceaSp. novValidWichardLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of the family Psychomyiidae.Palerasnitsynus vilarinoiSp. novValidWichardLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of the family Xiphocentronidae.Palleptocerus kuranishiiSp. novValidWichardLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of Leptoceroidea belonging to the family Palleptoceridae.Plectrocnemia aristoviSp. novValidMelnitsky & IvanovEoceneRovno amberA species of Plectrocnemia.Plectrocnemia zolotuhiniSp. novValidMelnitsky & IvanovEoceneRovno amberA species of Plectrocnemia.Prorhyacophila batkenicaSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle–Late TriassicMadygen FormationA member of the family Prorhyacophilidae.Prorhyacophila raraSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle–Late TriassicMadygen FormationA member of the family Prorhyacophilidae.SukatshevabagaNom. novValidTian & ZhangJurassicA member of the family Philopotamidae; a replacement name for Baga Sukatsheva (1992).
Trichopteran research Baranov et al. (2023) describe leptocerid and lepidostomatid larvae from the Eocene Baltic amber, two of which still bear their cases, and interpret this finding as indicating that at least some aquatic larvae from Baltic amber were trapped in resin flows within the water bodies.
Other amphiesmenopterans
NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesKamopanorpa aristoviSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaPermian()A member of the (stem-trichopteran or stem-amphiesmenopteran) family Microptysmatidae.Karataulius martaeSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaLate JurassicKarabastau FormationA member of the (trichopteran or basal amphiesmenopteran) family Necrotauliidae.Kinitocelis patrickmuelleriSp. novValidMey & WichardLate Cretaceous(Cenomanian)Burmese amberA tarachopteran.Necrotaulius communisSp. novValidSukatsheva & SinitshenkovaMiddle JurassicItat Formation()A member of the family Necrotauliidae.Tarachocelis emmarossaeSp. novValidMey & WichardLate Cretaceous(Cenomanian)Burmese amberA tarachopteran.
Clade Antliophora Dipterans
Brachycerans NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesChristelenkaFam. et gen. et sp. novValidRoháček in Roháček, Hammel & BaranovEoceneBaltic amber()A member of Acalyptratae, Type genus of the family Christelenkidae. The type species is C. multiplex.Cyphomyia mexicanaSp. novValidPoinar & FachinMioceneMexican amberA species of Cyphomyia.ElectrochoreutesGen. et 7 sp. novValidBadano et al.Late Cretaceous(Cenomanian)Burmese amberA stem group long-legged fly. The type species is E. trisetigerus; genus also includes E. electroechinus, E. falculigerus, E. furcillatus, E. hamatus, E. pankowskii and E. planitibia .EornithoicaGen. et sp. novValidNel, Garrouste & EngelEocene(Ypresian)Green River Formation()A member of Hippoboscidae. The type species is E. grimaldii.GrimaldipezaGen. et sp. novValidSolórzano-Kraemer et al.Cretaceous(Albian)El Soplao amberA Hybotid dance fly.The type species is G. coelica.Hemilauxania parvulaSp. novValidRoháček & HoffeinsEocene (Ypresian)Oise amberA lauxaniid fly.Medeterites atterraneusComb. nov(Nazarov)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Medeterites. Moved from Anepsiomyia atterraneus Nazarov (1994).Medeterites gestuosusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Medeterites. Moved from Thrypticus gestuosus Meunier (1907).Medeterites gulosusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Medeterites. Moved from Thrypticus gulosus Meunier (1907).Medeterites latipennisComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Medeterites. Moved from Achalcus latipennis Meunier (1907).Palaeoargyra planipediaComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Palaeoargyra. Moved from Anepsius planipedius Meunier (1907).Palaeomedeterus concinnusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Palaeomedeterus. Moved from Chrysotus concinnus Meunier (1907).Palaeomedeterus praeconcinnusComb. nov(Evenhuis)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Palaeomedeterus. Moved from Chrysotus praeconcinnus Evenhuis (1994).Palaeomedeterus tertiariusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Palaeomedeterus. Moved from Diaphorus tertiarius Meunier (1907).PlesiomedeteraGen. et comb. novGrichanovEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A long-legged fly. Genus includes P. flammea, P. decora, P. elegantula, P. lasciva, P. lepida, P. mustela, & P. vana (all 1907). Published online in 2024, but the issue date is listed as December 2023.Prohercostomus ciliatusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Systenus ciliatus Meunier (1907).Prohercostomus devinctusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Gymnopternus devinctus Meunier (1907).Prohercostomus gracilisComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Campsicnemus gracilis Meunier (1907).Prohercostomus inumbratusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Gymnopternus inumbratus Meunier (1907).Prohercostomus minutusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Hygroceleuthus minutus Meunier (1907).Prohercostomus morbosusComb. nov(Meunier)EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Prohercostomus. Moved from Dolichopus morbosus Meunier (1907).Symphoromyia odileaeSp. novValidPeyrot, Ngô-Muller & NelEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Symphoromyia.
Nematocerans NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesBaskintoconopsGen. et sp. novValidPielowska-Ceranowska in Pielowska-Ceranowska, Azar & SzwedoEarly Cretaceous (Barremian)Lebanese amberA member of the family Ceratopogonidae belonging to the subfamily Leptoconopinae. The type species is B. maaloufi.Cretobibio burmiticusSp. novValidSkartveitCretaceousBurmese amberA member of the family Bibionidae belonging to the subfamily Cretobibioninae.EomicromimusGen. et 2 sp. novValidGiłka, Zakrzewska & AndersenEoceneBaltic amberA member of the family Chironomidae belonging to the subfamily Chironominae and the tribe Pseudochironomini. The type species is E. polliciformis; genus also includes E. serpens.EoriethiaGen. et sp. novValidGiłka, Zakrzewska & AndersenEoceneBaltic amberA member of the family Chironomidae belonging to the subfamily Chironominae and the tribe Pseudochironomini. The type species is E. ursipes.Leptotarsus reyiSp. novValidAzar & NelEarly Cretaceous (Barremian)A species of Leptotarsus.LibanoculexGen. et sp. novValidAzar et al.Early Cretaceous (Barremian)Lebanese amberOriginally described as a mosquito; argued to be a member of the family Chaoboridae by Harbach (2024). The type species is L. intermedius.Palaeoglaesum angustumSp. novValidSkibińska & SantosLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae.Palaeoglaesum cracoviaeSp. novValidSkibińska & SantosLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae.Palaeoglaesum gregiSp. novSkibińska & Krzemiński in Skibińska et al.CretaceousBurmese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae.Palaeoglaesum jakubiSp. novSkibińska et al.CretaceousBurmese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae.Palaeoglaesum myanmariSp. novSkibińska et al.CretaceousBurmese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae.ProtodilophusGen. et sp. novValidSkartveitCretaceousBurmese amberA member of the family Bibionidae belonging to the subfamily Bibioninae. The type species is P. semispinosus.Rhabdomastix hoffeinsiSp. novValidJordan-Stasiło et al.EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Rhabdomastix.Tipunia completaSp. novKopeć et al.Late JurassicA member of the family Tipulidae.Tipunia kaniaSp. novKopeć et al.Early CretaceousA member of the family Tipulidae.Trichomyia vetustaSp. novAraújo & GomesMioceneMexican amberA species of Trichomyia.Trichoneura burmitensisSp. novValidKopeć et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA species of Trichoneura.Trichoneura chungkuniSp. novValidKopeć et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA species of Trichoneura.Trichoneura sevcikiSp. novValidKopeć et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA species of Trichoneura.Trichoneura wangiSp. novValidKopeć et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberA species of Trichoneura.VogerhyphusGen. et comb. et sp. novValidLukashevich & MostovskiMiddle Triassic (Anisian)Grès à VoltziaA member of Bibionomorpha belonging to the family Protorhyphidae. The type species is "Vymrhyphus" blagoderovi Krzemiński & Krzemińska (2003); genus also includes new species V. krzeminskorum.
Dipteran research New fossil material of stratiomyomorphan larvae from the Cretaceous Myanmar amber is reported by Amaral et al. (2023), who interpret the studied fossils as indicating that members of Stratiomyomorpha were not rare, but in fact were common in the Myanmar amber. Fossil material of a member of the genus Bibio, representing the oldest record of the genus reported to date, is described from the Paleocene Menat Basin (France) by Nel & Kundura (2023).
Mecopterans