Protobibionids are an extinct family of nematocerous Diptera known only
from the Upper Jurassic deposits of the Karatau, Kazakhstan (Kimmeridgian)
and the Laiyang Basin, China (Tithonian).
Hennig in Brundin (1972: 76) contended that Protobibio jurassicus
Rohdendorf belonged to the chironomid subfamily Podonominae. However, Hennig
based his conjecture on figures of Rohdendorf's fossils, and had not examined
the actual specimens. His hypothesis may be valid, but given the known inaccuracy
of Rohdendorf's drawings, should be taken with caution until Rohdendorf's
fossils can be reexamined. Ashe (1983) listed the genus as "Incertae
sedis." Since those authors, Zhang et al. (1986) added a second
species to the genus. It is not known if this generic placement is correct
and is provisionally listed here pending further study.
Ref.: Rohdendorf (1964, review and classification).
PROTOBIBIO Rohdendorf, 1946: 47. Type species: Protobibio jurassicus
Rohdendorf, 1946, by original designation.
jurassicus Rohdendorf, 1946: 48. PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic)
[C].
orientalis Zhang et al., 1986: 29. PA: China (Upper Jurassic)
[C].