Phylogeny and evolution of Mesozoic and extant lineages of Histeridae (Coleoptera), with discovery of a new subfamily Antigracilinae from the Lower Cretaceous

In order to place a newly discovered species Antigracilus costatus gen. sp. n. from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) and to assess previously unplaced fossil taxa, we investigated the relationships of extant and extinct lineages of Histeridae based on three data sets: (i) 69 morphological characters belonging to 48 taxa (representing all 11 subfamilies and 15 of 17 tribes of modern Histeridae); (ii) partitioned alignment of 6030 bp from downloaded nucleotide sequences (28S, CAD, COI, 18S) of 50 taxa (representing 10 subfamilies and 15 of 17 tribes of modern Histeridae); and (iii) a combined morphological and molecular dataset for 75 taxa. Phylogenetic analyses of the morphology and combined matrices recovered the new Lower Cretaceous taxon as a sister group to remaining Histeridae and it is placed in †Antigracilinae subfam. n. †Antigracilinae constitutes the earliest record of Histeridae from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (∼125 Myr), backdating the minimum age of the family by 25 Myr from the earliest Cenomanian (~99 Myr) to the Barremian of the Cretaceous Period. Our molecular phylogeny supports Histeridae to be divided into seven different clades, with currently recognised subfamilies Abraeinae (sensu lato), Saprininae, Chlamydopsinae, and Histerinae (sensu lato) recovered as monophyletic, while Dendrophilinae, Onthophilinae, and Tribalinae are polyphyletic taxa. The Burmese amber species †Pantostictus burmanicus Poinar & Brown is placed as a sister group to the tribe Plegaderini (Abraeinae) and was assigned as a new tribe Pantostictini trib. n. Both molecular and combined phylogenies recovered the subfamilies Trypanaeinae and Trypeticinae deeply within the subfamily Abraeinae (sensu lato), and they are downgraded into Trypanaeini stat. n. and Trypeticini stat. n.     

Diplocoelus probiphyllus n. sp., the first known fossil False Skin Beetle (Coleoptera: Biphyllidae)

The first fossil species of the family Biphyllidae LeConte 1861, Diplocoelus probiphyllus n. sp., is described from Baltic amber. This species, which shows intermediate characters of antennae, sculpturing and pubescence between Diplocoelus Guérin-Ménéville 1844 and Biphyllus Dejean 1821, also suggests the presence of temperate mixed forests and a climate cooler than it has been until today hypothesised for Baltic Amber.     

Afrotropical and Nearctic genera of Odonata in the French Oligocene: biogeographic and paleoclimatic implications (Insecta: Calopterygidae,Aeshnidae)

New species of the genera Sapho and Epiaeschna are recorded in the Oligocene of Aix- en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. Sapho legrandi n. sp. is the third fossil representative of this recent African genus and Epiaeschna pseudoheros n. sp. is the fifth fossil species of this recent North American genus. The fossil species Triaeschna gossi from the Eocene of England, Epacantha magnifica from the Late Oligocene of Kazakhstan, and Mediaeschna matutina from the Oligocene of China, are considered species of Epiaeschna and the three fossil genera Triaeschna Campion 1916, Mediaeschna Zhang 1989, and Epacantha Martynov 1929 are synonymized with Epiaeschna. The closely related genera Umma and Sapho inhabit warm humid forests of Western Africa. Their presence in two Oligocene deposits of France supports the hypothesis of a warm humid palaeoenvironment for Armissan (Aude, France), and Aix-en-Provence.     

New genera and new species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Chrysomelidae) from Lowermost Eocene French amber

Three new monotypical genera of leaf beetles are described: Aoriopsis eocenicus n. gen, n. sp. and Acolaspoides longipes n. gen., n. sp. from the subfamily Eumolpinae, and also Crepidocnema yantarica n. gen., n. sp. from the subfamily Alticinae. Short reviews of known fossil records of the mentioned subfamilies are given and position of the new genera discussed.     

Spirochete-like cells in a Dominican amber Ambylomma tick (Arachnida: Ixodidae)

Amber preserves microscopic, soft-bodies organisms and is a good medium in which to trace the evolution of pathogen–vector associations. Spirochetes-like cells (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) in the hemocoel and lumen of the alimentary tract of a larva tick (Amblyomma sp. Arachnida: Ixodidae) in Dominican amber are described in the collective fossil genus and species, Palaeoborrelia dominicanan. gen., n. sp. The size and shape of the fossil spirochetes closely resemble those of present-day Borrelia species. This discovery represents the first record of spirochete-like cells associated with fossil ticks.     

Occurrence of hypogean trechine beetles in Hanzhong Tiankeng Cluster,southwestern Shaanxi,China (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae)

Qianaphaenops (Tiankengius) xigouicus Tian & Huang, n. subgen., n. sp. is described from a limestone cave in the Hanzhong Tiankeng Cluster, southwestern Shaanxi Province in the western part of Daba Shan Mountains, northern China. Tiankengius n. subgen. is related to Qianaphaenops (s. str.) Uéno, 2000 (a lineage of Guizhaphaenops Complex which ranges in northeastern Guizhou Province) instead of the genera Boreaphaenops Uéno, 2002 Yanzaphaenops Uéno, 2010 which are known from Shennongjia (eastern range of Daba Shan Mountains). However, Tiankengius is markedly distinct by several important features from Qianaphaenops. This is the first report of a troglobitic trechine beetle from Shaanxi Province, northern China.     

A new genus and species of darner dragonfl y (Aeshnidae: Odonata) from the lower Eocene of Laguna del Hunco,Patagonia, Argentina

A new genus of Aeshnidae, Huncoaeshna n. gen., based on Huncoaeshna corrugata n. gen., n. sp., is erected from Laguna del Hunco (Ypresian) in Patagonia Argentina. The specimen presents a special kind of preservation with the middle part of the wing wrinkled. The presence of only two fossil specimens of Aeshnidae in South America is surely due to the lack of paleontomologists and collections of fossil insects in the subcontinent.     

The Neotropical genera of Acanthocinini Blanchard, 1845 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) with the third antennomere modified

The genera of Acanthocinini which have males with antennomere III modified are discussed and redefined, a key to identify them is provided. Additionally, Alcathousites Gilmour, 1962 is proposed as a junior synonym of Xenocona Gilmour, 1960, and the following five new combinations are proposed: Xenocona asperipennis (Fairmaire & Germain, 1859) n. comb.; X. forsteri (Tippmann, 1960) n. comb.; X. penicillata (Monné, 1990) n. comb.; X. senticosa (Monné & Martins, 1976) n. comb.; and X. superstes (Erichson, 1847) n. comb. Moreover, a new species from Colombia (Huila) is described and illustrated, Xenocona antonkozlovi n. sp., and the male of X. penicillata is illustrated for the first time.     

New Tridactyloidea in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Orthoptera: Caelifera)

Two new Tridactyloidea of the families Ripipterygidae and Tridactylidae are described from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) amber of the Dominican Republic, namely: Archaeoellipes engeli n. gen., n. sp. (Tridactylidae: Tridactylinae) and Mirhipipteryx antillarum n. sp. (Ripipterygidae). These new taxa represent the fi rst record of Tridactyloidea in Dominican amber and the fi rst fossil record of Ripipterygidae, which are otherwise known only from the extant fauna.     

Flat-faced longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from the Neotropical region: new species from Ecuador,nomenclatural changes and notes

Summary

The differences between Anisopodus White, 1853 and Hyperplatys Haldeman, 1847 are discussed and the gender of the latter is corrected. Notes on Hyperplatys pusillus (Bates, 1863) are provided. Hyperplatys nigrisparsus is considered a new rank for H. pusillus nigrisparsus (Bates, 1885). This species is newly recorded from Brazil (Amazonas). Alcidion laetulum Bates, 1880 (currently Nealcidion laetulum), Alcidion costatum Monné & Martins, 1976 (currently Nealcidion costatum), and Nealcidion murinum Monné, 1998, are synonymized with Alcidion bispinum Bates, 1863 (currently Nealcidion bispinum). Anisopodus melzeri Gilmour, 1965 is transferred to Hyperplatys with a new record from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Notes on a second specimen of Confluentia colombiana (Gilmour, 1950) are provided. Three new species are described from Ecuador: Nealcidion kayi n. sp. (Acanthocinini), Hyperplatys pichinchensis n. sp. (Acanthocinini) and Confluentia quijos n. sp. (Colobotheini).     

Three new species of Philocorydoras Suriano, 1986 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) infecting the gills of callichthyids (Actinopterygii: Callichthyidae) from the Peruvian Amazonia

During a research on gill ectoparasites of callichthyids fishes from the Peruvian Amazonia, the following monogenoideans were found: Philocorydoras peruensis n. sp. from Corydoras splendens (Castelnau); Philocorydoras multiradiatus n. sp. and Philocorydoras jumboi n. sp. from Brochis multiradiatus (Orcés, V.). All new species described herein are mainly differentiated from their congeners based on the morphology of the copulatory complex. In P. peruensis n. sp. the cirrus is “J”-like shaped tube slightly tilted to one side, while in P. jumboi n. sp. is “J”-like shaped tube in a straight position and in P. multiradiatus n. sp. the cirrus is an arced tube with inflated base and distally narrow. Brochis (Orcés, V.) represents a new genus hosting species of Philocorydoras. All new species presented in this work represent the first species of Philocorydoras reported for Peru.

     

Les Cryptotrogus Kraatz de la faune d’Iran et des régions limitrophes (Coleoptera : Scarabaeoidea : Melolonthidae)

Le genre Cryptotrogus Kraatz, 1888 est étudié. Après étude des spécimens-types des espèces associées et de nouveaux matériels, ce genre est redéfini et Cyphonoxia Reitter, 1889 en est à nouveau considéré comme synonyme. Les nouvelles combinaisons et synonymies suivantes sont établies ou restaurées : Cryptotrogus buettikeri (Sabatinelli & Pontuale, 1998) n. comb., Cryptotrogus delhiensis (Anand, 1988) n. comb., Cryptotrogus haarlovi (Petrovitz, 1955) n. comb., Cryptotrogus kermanensis (Semenov & Medvedev, 1936) n. comb., Cryptotrogus kircheri (Balthasar, 1930) n. comb., Cryptotrogus praestabilis (Reitter, 1889) n. comb., Cryptotrogus tatianae (Semenov & Medvedev, 1936) n. comb., Cryptotrogus zarudnyi (Semenov & Medvedev, 1936) n. comb., Cyphonotus bicoloratus Petrovitz, 1962 n. syn. de Cryptotrogus mesopotamicus (Petrovitz, 1962), Cryptotrogus miksici Petrovitz, 1965, et Cryptotrogus orita (Reitter, 1902) n. syn. de Cryptotrogus niveus (Hampe, 1852), Cyphonoxia glasunowi Semenov, 1897 n. syn. de Cryptotrogus brenskei (Reitter, 1895) comb. rev., Cyphonoxia kermanensis Semenov & Medvedev, 1936 n. syn. de Cryptotrogus zarudnyi (Semenov & Medvedev, 1936) n. comb., Cryptotrogus zemindar (Sharp, 1876) n. comb. Par ailleurs, huit espèces sont décrites et comparées aux espèces proches : sept d’Iran, Cryptotrogus borumandi n. sp., Cryptotrogus ebrahimii n. sp., Cryptotrogus miesseni n. sp., Cryptotrogus mirzayansi n. sp., Cryptotrogus monodi n. sp., Cryptotrogus morgani n. sp. et Cryptotrogus parallelus n. sp., et une, Cryptotrogus irakanus n. sp., d’Irak. Enfin, de nouvelles données sont présentées pour quelques espèces de la faune iranienne appartenant aux genres Melolontha Fabricius, 1775, Anoxia Castelnau, 1832, Polyphylla Harris, 1841 et Microphylla Kraatz, 1890. Une espèce est nouvelle pour la faune d’Iran : Melolontha aceris Faldermann, 1835.     

A remarkable new fossil species of Amplectister with peculiar hindleg modifications (Coleoptera: Histeridae): further evidence for myrmecophily in Cretaceous clown beetles

Myrmecophily is a phenomenon of the symbiosis of organisms that depend on various ant (Formicidae) societies. Such interspecies associations are found in several unrelated lineages within the clown beetle family Histeridae. Recent studies have suggested that the origin of myrmecophily can be traced back to mid-Cretaceous based on a few fossil records from Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. Here, we describe a remarkable new species, Amplectister terapoides n. sp., from Kachin amber. This is the second species of the extinct genus Amplectister Caterino and Maddison, which has been found from the same amber deposit and has also been considered to be myrmecophilous. The new species here described has the most heavily modified hindlegs in any fossil histerids or even beetles discovered until now, indicating further evidence for ant colony association. Our discovery demonstrates that significant and diverse morphological adaptations to myrmecophily had already occurred during the Cretaceous.     

New fossil Pachygastrinae from Mexican amber (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

We describe the new genus Elektrothopomyia n. gen., with two new species E. saltensis n. sp. and E. tzotzili n. sp. as second and third fossil Pachygastrinae from the Mexican amber. These fossils from the Totolapa amber deposit confirm the presence of this group in Central America during the late Oligocene to middle Miocene period. Their exact affinities remain uncertain because of the current problems in the phylogenetic classification of these flies. These fossils are new elements of comparison between the entomofaunas of the Dominican and Mexican amber.     

Revue des espèces attribuées au genre Megalocoleus Reuter, 1890 (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Les vingt-quatre espèces actuellement attribuées au genre Megalocoleus sont réexaminées après étude de tous les types disponibles. Les genitalia mâles et femelles apportent des caractères discriminants beaucoup plus fiables que les caractères externes et sont souvent indispensables pour séparer les espèces. Quelques caractères externes se révèlent néanmoins utiles mais ces derniers sont particulièrement difficiles à apprécier sur les spécimens qui ne sont pas en parfait état. Au terme de cette revue, il apparaît que le genre ne pourra être correctement défini qu’après étude de toutes les espèces décrites dans le genre voisin Amblytylus. Les modifications suivantes peuvent être néanmoins proposées dès à présent:– Réhabilitation d’une espèce, Megalocoleus krueperi (Reuter, 1879) bona species; en conséquence, M. satrapes Horváth, 1907 et M. binotatus (Wagner, 1953), auparavant synonymes de M. lunula, deviennent synonymes de M. krueperi (Reuter, 1879). – Mise en synonymie de 8 espèces: M. hungaricus Wagner, 1944 n. syn. de M. naso (Reuter, 1879); M. ocrensis Wagner, 1972 n. syn. de M. exsanguis (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1835); M. bifidus Wagner, 1973 n. syn. et M. fasciatus Wagner, 1969 n. syn. de M. lunula (Fieber, 1861); M. hirsutus Drapolyuk, 1991 n. syn. de M. signoreti (Reuter, 1879); M. confusus Wagner, 1958 n. syn. et M. pericarti Linnavuori, 1970 n. syn. de M. molliculus (Fallén, 1807). – Exclusion du genre Megalocoleus de quatre espèces; trois sont mises en synonymie: M. femoralis (Reuter, 1879), n. syn. de Tinicephalus hortulanus (Meyer-Dür, 1843), M. fumanae Wagner, 1974 n. syn. de Tinicephalus croceus Wagner 1969, M. servadeii Wagner, 1954 n. syn. d’Amblytylus tarsalis Reuter, 1894; une espèce, M. atricornis devient Tinicephalus atricornis (Wagner, 1965) n. comb. Une clé d’identification pratique (en français et en anglais), basée sur des caractères externes, tente de séparer les 14 espèces de Megalocoleus que le genre compte après cette étude.     

Premiers cas de brachyptérisme dans le genre Sisyphus Latreille (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sisyphini)

Les espèces du genre Sisyphus Latreille, 1807, présentant des touffes de soies sur les élytres sont étudiées. Sept nouvelles espèces appartenant à ce groupe sont décrites, illustrées et comparées aux espèces proches: deux espèces aux ailes normalement développées, S. manni n. sp. et S. perissinottoi n. sp., et cinq espèces brachyptères, S. jossoi n. sp., S. janssensi n. sp., S. bouyeri n. sp., S. felschei n. sp. et S. usambaricus n. sp. Une autre espèce appartenant au groupe étudié, S. alveatus Boucomont, 1935, se révèle également être brachyptère. Elles constituent les premiers exemples de brachyptérisme au sein de ce genre. Une clé d’identification des espèces à touffes de soies sur les élytres est donnée.     

New genera and species of Jumping Ground Bugs (Hemiptera: Schizopteridae) in Dominican and Burmese amber,with a description of a meloid (Coleoptera: Meloidae) triungulin on a Burmese specimen

New genera and species of jumping ground bugs (Hemiptera: Schizopteridae) are described in Dominican and Burmese amber. In Dominican amber are described: Hypselosoma dominicana Poinar & Brown sp. n., Schizoptera dominicana Poinar sp. n. and Schizoptera hispaniolae Poinar sp. n. In Burmese amber are described: Lumatibialis burmitis Poinar gen. et sp. n. and Hexaphlebia burmanica Poinar gen. et sp. n. A triungulin attached to the dorsum of the abdomen of Lumatibialis burmitis is described as Microentomus epibatus Poinar gen. et sp. n. in the family Meloidae (Coleoptera). This specimen represents the oldest known triungulin and the first fossil phoretic association of a triungulin and hemipteran.