Three new genera and four new species, all assigned to Maimetshidae, are described from the Turonian (U. Cretaceous) of Orapa in Botswana (southern Africa), viz., Afrapia globularis gen. et sp. n., A. variicornis sp. n., Afromaimetsha robusta gen. et sp. n., and Maimetshorapia africana gen. et sp. n. The genera Andyrossia Rasnitsyn & Jarzembowski, 2000 from the Barremian (L. Cretaceous) of the Weald Clay (southern England) and Guyotemaimetsha Perrichot, Nel & Néraudeau, 2004 from the Albian (L. Cretaceous) of France are also transferred to Maimetshidae. Cretogonalys Rasnitsyn, 1977 from the Cenomanian (U. Cretaceous) of northern Siberia may also belong here. These results extend the known duration of Maimetshidae over the entire middle part of the Cretaceous (from the Barremian to the Santonian), its geographic distribution over the western half of the Old World (from northernmost Siberia to westernmost Europe and southern Africa), and its taxonomic diversity to at least six genera and seven species, with the diversity possibly centred in Africa. The taxonomic and phylogenetic positions of Maimetshidae are discussed.

To cite this paper: Rasnitsyn, A.P. & Brothers, D.J. 2009. New genera and species of Maimetshidae (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea s.l.) from the Turonian of Botswana, with comments on the status of the family. African Invertebrates 50 (1): 191-204.

This paper cites:
Perrichot, V., Neraudeau, D., Nel, A. & De Ploeg, G. 2007. A reassessment of the Cretaceous amber deposits from France and their palaeontological significance. African Invertebrates 48 (1): 213-227. [Abstract] [PDF]
Rasnitsyn, A.P. & Brothers, D.J. 2007. Two new hymenopteran fossils from the mid-Cretaceous of southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Jurapriidae, Evaniidae). African Invertebrates 48 (1): 193-202. [Abstract] [PDF]