This paleoentomology list records new fossil insect taxa that were announced or described during the year 2026, as well as notes other significant paleoentomology discoveries and events which occurred during the year.
Clade Amphiesmenoptera
Lepidopterans Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesApaturoidesGen. et sp. novValidRajaei et al.Oligocene (Rupelian)A member of the family Nymphalidae belonging to the subfamily Apaturinae. The type species is A. monikae.Archmosaicus salicifoliusSp. novValidLuo et al.CretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Micropterigidae.ElectronotodontaGen. et sp. novValidFischer & HausmannMioceneDominican amberA member of the family Notodontidae. The type species is E. jimmilleri.GlaesopterixGen. et sp. novValidFischer & KurzEoceneBaltic amber()A member of the family Micropterigidae. The type species is G. jonasdamzeni.Micropterix eocenicaSp. novValidKurz & FischerEoceneBaltic amber()A member of the family Micropterigidae.OgivaluncusFam. et gen. et sp. novValidNel et al.EoceneOise amberA possible member of the superfamily Yponomeutoidea; the type genus of the new family Ogivaluncidae. The type species is O. eocenicus.Proutia alteraSp. novValidArnscheid et al.EoceneRovno amberA member of the family Psychidae.Proutia damzeniSp. novValidArnscheid et al.EoceneRovno amberA member of the family Psychidae.Sabatinca filantennaSp. novValidLuo et al.CretaceousKachin amberA species of Sabatinca.
Lepidopteran research Haug et al. (2026) report evidence from the study of caterpillars preserved in different types of amber indicative of increase of maximum length of protruding structures of caterpillars (such as hairs or spines) through time, and of increase of abundance of caterpillars relative to lacewing larvae through time. Takahashi, Saito & Aiba (2026) describe a forewing of Aporia potanini from the Pliocene-Pleistocene strata of the Teragi Group (Japan), representing the oldest fossil record of an extant butterfly species reported to date.
Trichopterans Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesArchiphilopotamus sagulicusSp. novValidSukatsheva in Sukatsheva, Rasnitsyn & VasilenkoEarly JurassicA member of the family Philopotamidae. Published online in 2026, but the issue date is listed as December 2025.Cladochorista alikiSp. novValidSukatsheva & VasilenkoEarly TriassicA member of the family Cladochoristidae.Cladochorista rasnitsyniSp. novValidSukatsheva & VasilenkoEarly TriassicA member of the family Cladochoristidae.Phylocentropus alepavlrasniaSp. novValidMelnitsky, Ivanov & MelnitskayaLate Cretaceous (Santonian)Kheta Formation(Taymyr amber)()Setodes wilfriedwichardiSp. novValidMelnitsky et al.Eocene (Priabonian)Danish amberA member of the family Leptoceridae.
Other amphiesmenopterans Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesKinitocelis robustivenaSp. novJia et al.Mid-CretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Tarachocelidae.Retortocelis confluvenaSp. novJia et al.Mid-CretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Tarachocelidae.Retortocelis ventricosaSp. novJia et al.Mid-CretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Tarachocelidae.
Clade Antliophora Dipterans
Brachycerans Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesAlavesia beloneSp. novValidEngel & PerettiCretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Atelestidae.Alavesia hkamtiensisSp. novValidEngel & PerettiCretaceousHkamti amberA member of the family Atelestidae.Anthalia rasnitsyniSp. novValidShamshev, Vorontsov & PerkovskyEoceneRovno amberA member of the family Hybotidae.ChaetosepsisGen. et sp. novValidGrimaldi, Lonsdale & HerholdMioceneDominican amberA member of the family Sepsidae. The type species is C. caribea.Milichiella brakeaeSp. novValidGomesMioceneMexican amberA member of the family Milichiidae.PaleotherevaGen. et sp. novValidFeng, Ren & Wang in Feng et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Kachin amberA member of the family Therevidae. The type species is P. longicoxa.ProtapsilocephalaGen. et sp. novValidFeng et al.CretaceousKachin amberA member of the family Apsilocephalidae. The type species is P. longisetosa.
Nematocerans Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesAcnemia silobusiSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Allodia meunieriSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Brachypogon europaeusSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Brachypogon.Brachypogon oisensisSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Brachypogon.Brachypogon parisiensisSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Brachypogon.Cascoplecia gracilisSp. novValidSkartveitCretaceousA member of the family Bibionidae.Cascoplecia tridensSp. novValidSkartveitCretaceousA member of the family Bibionidae.Cretolimonia dayanaSp. novValidKopeć in Kopeć et al.Jurassic/Cretaceous boundaryGlushkovo Formation()A member of the family Limoniidae. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Cretolimonia lukashevichaeSp. novValidKopeć & Krzemiński in Kopeć et al.Jurassic/Cretaceous boundaryDain Formation()A member of the family Limoniidae. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Cretolimonia mikolajczykiSp. novValidKopeć, Krzemiński, Soszyńska in Kopeć et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Kachin amberA member of the family Limoniidae. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Cretolimonia pseudojurassicaSp. novValidKrzemiński in Kopeć et al.Jurassic/Cretaceous boundaryDain Formation()A member of the family Limoniidae. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Dasyhelea eocenicaSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Dasyhelea.Dianepsia electricaSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Dianepsia tatianaeSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Elephantomyia christelaeSp. novValidKania-Kłosok & Krzemiński in Kopeć et al.EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Elephantomyia. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Elephantomyia primaSp. novValidKania-Kłosok & Krzemiński in Kopeć et al.EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Elephantomyia. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.EosphaeromiasGen. et sp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemińska in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA member of the family Ceratopogonidae. The type species is E. eocenicus.Forcipomyia oisensisSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Forcipomyia.Groveriella oisensisSp. novValidHébert, Ngô-Muller & NelEoceneOise amberA species of Groveriella.Kelneria errorisSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & Soszyńska in Pełczyńska et al.EoceneBaltic amber()A member of the family Keroplatidae.Kelneria rovnensisSp. novValidPełczyńska & Perkovsky in Pełczyńska et al.EoceneRovno amberA member of the family Keroplatidae.Kelneria szymoniSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & Soszyńska in Pełczyńska et al.EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A member of the family Keroplatidae.Leptoconops oisensisSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Leptoconops.Loewiella balticaSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Loewiella montypythoniSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Lyprauta meunieriSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Lyprauta rossiSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Macrocera bartekiSp. novValidPełczyńska in Pełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Macrocera.Macrocera furasticaSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneFur FormationA species of Macrocera.Macrocera hoffeinsorumSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Macrocera.Macrocera poseidonisSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Macrocera.Macrocera stuckinamberiSp. novValidPełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Macrocera.Macrocera tymoniSp. novValidPełczyńska in Pełczyńska, Krzemiński & SoszyńskaEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A species of Macrocera.Minyohelea anagarciaeSp. novValidSzadziewski & ArilloEarly CretaceousA member of the family Ceratopogonidae.Orimarguloides orthogoniusSp. novValidMen et al.CretaceousA member of the family Limoniidae.Palaeoempalia abavusSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Palaeopoecilostola hoffeinsorumSp. novValidKania-Kłosok & Krzemiński in Kania-Kłosok, Wąsacz & Krzemiński EoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A member of the family Limoniidae belonging to the subfamily Limnophilinae.Proptychopterina jiyuanensisSp. novValidXu, Peng & HuangMiddle JurassicYangshuzhuang FormationA member of the family Ptychopteridae.Protipula oosterbroekiSp. novValidKrzemiński, Kopeć & Ansorge in Krzemiński et al.Late JurassicKarabastau FormationRhopaloscatopseGen. et 3 sp. novValidHaenni & HoffeinsEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A member of the family Scatopsidae. Genus includes new species R. podenasi, R. krzeminskorum and R. szadziewskii.Sciara katoiSp. novValidAiba & MenzelPleistoceneMiyajima FormationA species of Sciara.Sciara statziNom. novValidAiba & MenzelOligoceneRott FormationA species of Sciara; a replacement name for Lycoria thoracica Statz (1944).Simulium oisenseSp. novValidNel, Hebert & Ngô MullerEoceneOise amberA species of Simulium.Stilobezzia eocenicaSp. novValidSzadziewski, Santer, Nel, & Krzemiński in Szadziewski et al.EoceneOise amberA species of Stilobezzia.Styringomyia caribeanaSp. novValidKopeć et al.Miocene (Burdigalian)Dominican amberA species of Styringomyia.Styringomyia caridadiSp. novValidKopeć et al.Miocene (Burdigalian)Dominican amberA species of Styringomyia.Styringomyia grimaldiiSp. novValidKopeć et al.Miocene (Burdigalian)Dominican amberA species of Styringomyia.Synapha chandleriSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)Synapha fimbriosaSp. novValidBlagoderov & EvenhuisEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)TanystromaGen. et sp. novValidKaczmarek, Krzemiński & Soszyńska Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Kachin amberA member of the stem group of Tanyderidae. The type species is T. groehni.Tipula gentiliniiSp. novValidKania-Kłosok, Krzemiński & Kopeć in Kania-Kłosok et al.Miocene (Messinian)Gessoso-Solfifera FormationTipula lukasiewicziSp. novValidKania-Kłosok, Krzemiński & Salwa in Kania-Kłosok et al.Oligocene (Rupelian)Menilite FormationTrichoneura xavieriSp. novValidKania-Kłosok, Krzemiński, Kopeć & Arillo in Kopeć et al.Early Cretaceous (Albian)Utrillas GroupA species of Trichoneura. Announced online in 2021; validated in 2026.Xenosycorax bouarejiSp. novValidTabakian, Wang & AzarEarly Cretaceous (Barremian)Lebanese amberA member of the family Psychodidae belonging to the subfamily Sycoracinae.
Dipteran research Peixoto et al. (2026) interpret trace fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation (Brazil) assigned to the ichnotaxon Cochlichnus anguineus as likely produced by larvae of members of the family Therevidae. Revision of members of the genus Prohercostomus from the Baltic amber is published by Grichanov (2026). Grichanov (2026) reports the discovery of a male of Medeterites latipennis from the Baltic amber, and provides a key to species belonging to the genus Medeterites. Men et al. (2026) describe first female of Palaeoglaesum sp. from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.
Mecopterans