Abstract Since the late twentieth century, palaeontological and geological evidence from East Asia has contributed to significant advances in the understanding of the Mesozoic world. Geological Society Special Publication 521 covers a wide range of topics that subdivide into four themes. These include: (1) clues and evidence from vertebrate fossils; (2) clues and evidence from invertebrate and plant fossils; (3) significant fossils from amber; and (4) palaeoenvironments and palaeoecosystems. The volume features 18 articles by 53 authors from different disciplines, including geochronology, palaeontology, stratigraphy, sedimentology, tectonics and geochemistry.

Abstract True hoppers, consisting of Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha, are plant feeders with very high species-level diversity. A large number of true hopper fossils have been reported from eastern Asia, especially from the Middle to Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota, the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber in the last two decades. Herein, true hoppers from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of eastern Asia are reviewed, and combining palaeontological data from other regions of the world and recent advances of molecular studies, the evolutionary history of true hoppers in the mid–late Mesozoic is discussed. Permocicada beipiaoensis Wang, 1987 and Archijassus plurinervis Zhang, 1985 are here excluded from Prosboloidea and Archijassidae, respectively. By the end of 2020, a total of 203 species with definite systematic position had been documented in the Jurassic and Cretaceous of eastern Asia (China, Myanmar, Siberia, Mongolia, Japan and Korea), and were attributed to 116 genera in 22 families and 7 superfamilies. Available fossil data suggest that true hopper components strongly changed in the Cretaceous: primitive groups reduced and went extinct successively, and the origin and/or early diversification of most lineages (family or subfamily level) occurred, likely owing to the displacement of host-plants in the angiosperm floristic revolution.

Abstract Hemiphlebiidae are the most basal lestomorphan family following the latest phylogenetic analysis of the Zygoptera: this unique damselfly family today contains one relict species found in the wetlands of Australia. It was, however, very diverse and widespread during the Mesozoic. Nevertheless, very few species were known, obscuring the origination and early evolution of the family. Here we propose a new stem hemiphlebioid taxon (Protohemiphlebiidae Zheng, Jarzembowski and Nel, fam. nov.) based on a new genus and two species: Protohemiphlebia zhangi Zheng, Jarzembowski and Nel, sp. nov. and Protohemiphlebia meiyingae Zheng, Jarzembowski and Nel, sp. nov. The new family shares the characteristics of both Hemiphlebiidae and Coenagrionoidea, but it is more closely related to Hemiphlebiidae in having the pterostigma with a ‘star-shaped’ microsculpture and AA originating from the wing base slightly distal of Ax0. Protohemiphlebia Zheng, Jarzembowski and Nel, gen. nov. is further considered to belong to the stem group of Hemiphlebioidea, instead of belonging to the Hemiphlebiidae, in possessing pretibial combs and a weakly kinked RP1 below the Pt brace. The new damselflies will help to calibrate the origin of Hemiphlebiidae, which could be earlier than the current oldest records in the Kimmeridgean (Late Jurassic).

Abstract Zhangsolva is the type genus of the extinct long proboscis family Zhangsolvidae, originally known as a compression fossil from the Laiyang Formation, China. Here we describe a new species Zhangsolva burmensis sp. nov in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Antennae of zhangsolvids are discussed, and a proposed antennal segmentation of Zhangsolva cupressa is given. Anatomical features of the proboscis are interpreted based on exceptional preservation of the holotype, which are identical to flower-visiting bombyliid flies. This discovery provides important characters for further phylogenetical analysis of the Zhangsolvidae and important evidence for the proboscis function in pollination.

Abstract A new female wasp from Cenomanian Burmese amber was described as Peleserphus qufuensis sp. nov. in the proctotrupoid family Peleserphidae, which emerged in the Late Jurassic–mid-Cretaceous. It provides new data on the diversity of the family in Cenomanian Burmese amber and extends the records to five species.

Abstract The genus Hirsuticyclus Neubauer, Xing and Jochum, 2019 was the first record of an exceptionally preserved land snail with dense periostracal hairs from mid-Cretaceous Kachin (Burmese) amber. Here, we document four newly-discovered shells from Kachin amber, one belonging to the type species Hirsuticyclus electrum Neubauer, Xing and Jochum, 2019 and the remaining three shells belonging to a new species, Hirsuticyclus canaliculatus sp. nov. Well-preserved morphological characteristics of these two species could be clearly demonstrated under light microscopy combined with modern micro-CT scans with computer 3D reconstructions. Our new material of the type species amends the generic diagnosis based on a better-preserved shell including the peristome and operculum. The new species shows distinctive shell characteristics such as numerous spiral keels and a flaring, folded peristome interrupted by two canals. These excellently preserved fossils contribute to our understanding of the morphological diversity and evolution of these ancient members of cyclophoroids.

Abstract A new ommatin beetle, Omma ( Coronomma ) axsmithi subgen. et sp. nov. (Insecta: Coleoptera: Archostemata: Ommatidae sensu stricto (Cupedidae sensu lato )) is described in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. The new taxon distinctly differs from nominotypical Omma in possessing a subquadrilateral v. subglobose pronotum, the latter visible in Omma lii from the same deposit. The uniquely preserved male genitalia of the latter are compared and contrasted with extant ommatins and fossil notocupedins. This new analysis suggests that the living Australian ommatin beetles ( Omma , Beutelius ) may not be as ancient as is sometimes supposed.