Palaeomicromenneus lebanensis gen. et sp. nov. (Araneae: Deinopidae) is described from Upper Neocomian–basal Lower Aptian (ca. 125–135 Ma) Cretaceous amber from the Hammana/Mdeyrij outcrop, Lebanon. This is the oldest known, and possibly the first true fossil, deinopid. The lack of ocular modifications in the new fossil genus does not exclude it from having exhibited the same net−casting prey capture behaviour as extant deinopids. Alternatively, this prey−capture behaviour may be highly derived and whether it had evolved by the Early Cretaceous cannot be determined for sure; early deinopids (as diagnosed by pedipalp morphology rather than behaviour) may have been orb−web weavers as is their sister taxon the Uloboridae.
First representatives of the extinct family Eoptychopteridae (all males), belonging to Leptychoptera dimkina and L. vovkina gen. et spp. nov. (subfamily Eoptychopterinae), from the Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber are described. Many of their characters are similar to extant Ptychopteridae, among them the presence of prehalter is the most interesting. The larval mite in the feeding position is found on the abdomen of the L. dimkina sp. nov. holotype.
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