A new genus and species of Micromalthidae from Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Archostemata)

Author(s):  
Erik TIHELKA ◽  
Diying HUANG ◽  
Chenyang CAI

ABSTRACTMicromalthidae is a small relictual family of archostematan beetles that is well known for its unusual asexual reproductive system characterised by parthenogenetic, viviparous, larviform females and sterile adults. Here we describe the first micromalthid beetle from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (ca.100Ma). Protomalthus burmaticus gen. et sp. nov. differs from all presently known micromalthid beetles by the presence of distinct frontoclypeal, labroclypeal, and medicranial sutures. The finding represents the first Mesozoic record of an adult micromalthid beetle and confirms a Gondwanan distribution of the family during the Cretaceous. A list of micromalthid beetles is provided, together with a key to extant and fossil species.

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4407 (3) ◽  
pp. 427
Author(s):  
SHAN LIN ◽  
YUNZHI YAO ◽  
DONG REN

A new genus and species of the extinct family Weitschatidae, Criniverticillus longicumulus gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha), is described and illustrated from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new species is based on a fossil specimen with complete body, wings and antennae. The family diagnosis is updated to include similarities between Criniverticillus, Pseudoweitschatus and Weitschatus. An identification key to species of Weitschatidae is provided. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4425 (3) ◽  
pp. 596 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZHI-TENG CHEN

A new fossil stonefly genus and species of the family Perlidae, Pinguisoperla yangzhouensis gen. et sp. nov., is proposed as the second known genus from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus is characterized by its dark coloration and the basally enlarged and curved cerci. Morphological characters of the new genus and species are described, illustrated, and compared with related taxa. 


Fossil Record ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-236
Author(s):  
Volker Lohrmann ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Peter Michalik ◽  
Jeremy Blaschke ◽  
Patrick Müller ◽  
...  

Abstract. Rhopalosomatidae, currently considered the sister group of the Vespidae, are an enigmatic family of aculeate wasps that originated in the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous. Despite their considerable age, very few fossils of the family have been reported – all of them in amber (Miocene Dominican, Miocene Mexican, and mid-Cretaceous Burmese ambers). Here we report a new mid-Cretaceous rhopalosomatid wasp, Cretolixon alatum Lohrmann, gen. et sp. nov., from Burmese (Kachin) amber. This new genus has a unique mixture of characters, some of which are only known from the recent brachypterous genus Olixon and others of which are known only from the recent macropterous genera. Thus, Cretolixon Lohrmann, gen. nov. not only provides further evidence for the monophyly of the family but also contributes evidence for the monophyly of the Rhopalosomatinae. Key characters of the family are discussed, and an updated checklist of the world genera and fossil species and occurrences of Rhopalosomatidae is provided. Additionally, a chemical analysis was performed for three of the newly reported fossils as well as for the amber piece containing the rhopalosomatid larva described by Lohrmann and Engel (2017) to ascertain their amber vs. copal nature and their affinities with each other and previously described Burmese amber.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIK TIHELKA ◽  
DIYING HUANG ◽  
CHENYANG CAI

With over 4,600 species distributed worldwide, the net-winged beetles belong among the most speciose elateroid lineages. Despite this, beetles of the family Lycidae are rare in the fossil record. A new genus and species of Lycidae, Cretolycus praecursor gen. et sp. nov., is herein described based on a single specimen preserved in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Cretolycus praecursor represents the second known lycid from the Mesozoic. A new tribe, Cretolycini trib. nov., is erected for the species, characterised by 11-segmented filiform antennae, 3-segmented labial palpi with an enlarged apical palpomere, and elytra without costae. A catalogue of fossil net-winged beetles is appended.


Author(s):  
Erok Tihelka ◽  
Diying Huang ◽  
Chenyang Cai

A new genus belonging to the cucujoid family Helotidae, Trihelota gen. nov., is described from mid-Cretaceous (ca.99 million years old) amber from Kachin State, northern Myanmar, containing a single species T. fulvata sp. nov. The minute fossil was documented using fluorescence microscopy and X-ray microtomography to reveal fine morphological details. Trihelota is characterised by its transverse head, antennal club about 1.5 times longer than wide, pronotum almost parallel-sided, and elytra not costate. Notably, each elytron possesses three coloured spots, a character unique within Helotidae. The new genus considerably expands the known morphological disparity of Cretaceous helotids. A keyto extinct and extant genera of the family Helotidae is provided along with a checklist of fossil species.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Poinar Jr. ◽  
Fernando E. Vega

A new genus and species of apsilocephalid flies, Cascomixticus tubuliferous gen. et sp. nov. (Diptera: Asiloidea: Apsilocephalidae) is described from Burmese amber. Assignment to the Apsilocephalidae is based on the wing venation that is very similar to extant members of the family. The present fossil differs from known genera of this family by a long labellum bearing tactochemical papillae, a long tubular hypopharynx and a pointed labrum as well as the structure of the scape and pedicel. The long, tubular hypopharynx may have been used to obtain nectar from angiosperm flowers, however the function of the sharp-tipped labrum is unknown.


2020 ◽  
Vol 298 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-329
Author(s):  
George Poinar ◽  
Alex E. Brown

A new genus and species of the family Dinglidae Szwedo & Drohojowska , 2020 (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha), Alloeopterus anomeotarsus, is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus is characterized by a simplified forewing venation with thick veins of R and M+Cu emerging separately from the wing base, a diffuse pterostigma close to termination of RA vein, reduced vein A1, veins M and Cu unbranched, a reduced clavus, a small hindwing with a costal margin and terminal R vein weakened in apical portion; a long first flagellomere, approximately 1.5 times as long as the second flagellomere and rhinaria with sensory pits on the apex of the pedicel and flagellomeres 5 and 6. The fossil increases our knowledge of the morphological variation that occurred during the evolution of Cretaceous Sternorrhynchia.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIK TIHELKA ◽  
DIYING HUANG ◽  
CHENYANG CAI

Brachypsectridae is a species-poor elateroid family containing two extant genera with a disjunct distribution range spanning the Nearctic, Palaearctic, Oriental, and Australian regions. Here we describe a second Texas beetle from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, Hongipsectra electrella gen. et sp. nov. The new genus can be distinguished from all hitherto known brachypsectrids by the 11-segmented sexually dimorphic antennae with antennomeres 6–10 bilamellate in males and serrate in females, pronotum with a pair of posterolateral carinae and an M-shaped notch in the posterior margin for the reception of a cordiform scutellum. The present discovery adds a fourth genus and eleventh species to Brachypsectridae. Given that two of the known Texas beetle genera are from the Cretaceous Burmese amber, the family probably have been much more widespread and diverse in the Mesozoic than it is today. A key to the extant and fossil genera of Brachypsectridae is provided, along with a list of fossil species.


2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 902-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Riquelme ◽  
Dulce F. Piedra-Jiménez ◽  
Víctor Córdova-Tabares ◽  
Bibiano Luna-Castro

Mayachernes maatiatus, a new genus and species of pseudoscorpion of the family Chernetidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpionida), is described from the Miocene Chiapas – Amber Lagerstätte, south of Mexico. This new fossil species represents an adult male specimen with hard–soft tissues preserved in great detail. It differs from all other living chernetids by a combination of diagnostic characters. Anatomical data were collected using high-resolution microscopy with regular to infrared-reflected light. Mayachernes maatiatus is the first newly described fossil species of pseudoscorpion from the Chiapas amber. This taxon also adds to knowledge of the Chernetidae diversity in the southernmost part of North America at the Neogene.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 134-140
Author(s):  
George Poinar Jr. ◽  
Fernando E. Vega

A bizarre cylindrical bark beetle from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is described as Stegastochlidus saraemcheana, a new genus and species in the subfamily Colydiinae of the family Zopheridae. The male beetle is characterized by elongate protuberances covering its entire dorsal surface, a tarsal formula of 4-4-4 and ten-segmented antennae with the terminal segment expanded into a small club. The fossil is considered to have been a possible predator that lived among moss, lichens and fungi either attached to trees trunks or on the forest floor. A close association with fungi is indicated by strands of conidia attached to the cuticle of the beetle. 


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