A new genus of silken-fungus beetle (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae) from the Spanish Cretaceous amber

The Cretaceous new species and genus Albocryptophagus cantabricus gen. et sp. n. is described based on a fossil specimen from the El Soplao amber deposit (Spain). The new genus is similar to the extant genera Cryptophagus and Micrambe, but differs from them in the transverse pedicel, anterior angles of pronotum, pronotal margin unmodified, pronotal pits absent. Albocryptophagus gen. n. is undoubtedly the most ancient representative for the subfamily Cryptophaginae described up today. Because the saproxylic habits in recent species of the family, a similar behavior is inferred for this new fossil. It is a new example that agrees with the idea that fossil beetles from Mesozoic ambers are characterized by a saproxylic lifestyle.     

A new genus of whip-scorpions in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber: Earliest fossil record of the extant subfamily Thelyphoninae (Arachnida: Thelyphonida: Thelyphonidae)

Mesozoic whip-scorpions are very rare, with only two Cretaceous species known to date. Here we describe a new genus and species of Thelyphonidae, Mesothelyphonus parvus gen. & sp. nov., based on a very well-preserved male in Upper Cretaceous amber from Myanmar. Mesothelyphonus is firmly placed in the extant subfamily Thelyphoninae as supported by the abdominal tergites with a median longitudinal suture. Mesothelyphonus differs from other fossil and recent genera primarily by its very small body size, the absence of ommatoids on abdominal segment XII, and the elongate, slender and toothed patellar apophysis of the male pedipalp. The new discovery represents the oldest definitive fossil record for Thelyphoninae, highlighting the antiquity of the whip-scorpion group.     

The first Mesozoic palmetto beetle (Coleoptera: Smicripidae) in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber

Fossil smicripid beetles are very rare. Here we describe and figure the first Mesozoic representative of Smicripidae. Smicrips cretacea sp. nov., a new species belonging to the extant Smicrips LeConte is preserved in the Upper Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Our discovery suggests that Smicrips is an ancient group, originating at least in the earliest Late Cretaceous. Together with other two fossil Smicrips species from the Eocene of Europe, it reinforces the hypothesis that the Recent distribution of Smicripidae is relict, and the family was more widespread in the Mesozoic and early Cenozoic than it is in the Recent.     

Two new species of mid-Cretaceous webspinners in amber from northern Myanmar (Embiodea: Clothodidae,Oligotomidae)

Two new genera and species of Cretaceous webspinners (Embiodea) are described and figured, both preserved in amber from northern Myanmar. Atmetoclothoda orthotenes Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is the first fossil representative of the putatively primitive family Clothodidae, and is segregated into its own subfamily, Atmetoclothodinae Engel and Huang, subfam. nov., owing to its primitive retention of a distinct mentum, a quadrate submentum with straight borders, a postocciptal suture that meets the hypostomal sulcus at the posterior tentorial pit, and subgenae that do not meet medially (thus a ventral bridge or gula is lacking), completely symmetrical terminalia, and unsegmented cerci that apically bear a small inner lamellar projection. Litoclostes delicatus Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is the first definitive fossil of Oligotomidae (not including a subfossil species in Pleistocene copal and which is likely synonymous with an extant taxon), and differs from modern genera in a combination of head, tarsal, and terminalic morphology. The new fossil species double the known Cretaceous fossils and add a further two families to the Mesozoic record for the order.     

Nocticolid cockroaches are the only known dinosaur age cave survivors

There is little fossil evidence for cave arthropods. Small size, disfunctional wings, extremely long antenna, dense minute setation, palidity and reduced eyes are typical adaptations to life in caves shown by the cockroach Mulleriblattina bowangi gen. et sp. n., found together with epigeic Crenocticola svadba sp. n., both from Myanmar amber and belonging to the cavernicolous cockroach family Nocticolidae. These lineages of earliest still living cavernicoles suggest large, numerous caverns, lava tubes or caves within the source area. They provide the first unequivocal evidence for the Mesozoic origin of any living troglomorphic organism, and explain the “long branches” in DNA analyses. Phylogenetic trees show little hierarchical structure and place Latindiinae and Myrmecoblatta within the explosively radiating Nocticolidae. Biogeography indicates a common cosmopolitan Early Cretaceous ancestor except for 8 (of 49) species of true Nocticolidae, which diverged during the Late Cretaceous breakup of Gondwana. A review of all troglofauna documents no other unequivocal pre-Cenozoic cave biotas (including vertebrates). Stable environments and small populations result in a short-time (˂3 Ma) origination of bizarre forms and long term extinctions (˃30 Ma).     

Fossil coniferous wood from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in western Liaoning,NE China: New material and palaeoclimate implications

The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, one of the most important Mesozoic lagerstätten in East Asia, is especially well-known for occurrences of fossil feathered dinosaurs and early angiosperms. However, the terrestrial biodiversity, especially the fossil wood record, is poorly known. In this study, several structurally preserved coniferous wood specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation are investigated, based on collections from the Heichengzi Basin in Beipiao of western Liaoning, Northeast China. Four species referred to four genera of fossil wood are described, including Taxodioxylon heichengziense sp. nov., Thujoxylon beipiaoense sp. nov., Sciadopityoxylon liaoningense Ding and Protocedroxylon shengjinbeigouense sp. nov. These new records enlarge the fossil wood diversity of the Yixian Formation up to 10 species in 9 genera, and provide further insights into the forest vegetation composition of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Systematic analysis of the floral constitution indicates that the petrified forests of the Yixian Formation are dominated by conifers, represented by Araucariaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in the western Liaoning region. Palaeoclimatical analysis of the fossil wood assemblage implies that the western Liaoning region was dominated by a cool temperate, wet and seasonal climate with variable interannual water supply in the western Liaoning region during the Early Cretaceous.     

First definitive fossil agyrtodine beetles: An extant southern hemisphere group recorded from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Staphylinoidea: Leiodidae)

Mesozoic leiodids are poorly known, and only one definitive leiodid is formally described from Burmese amber. Here we describe and illustrate the second definitive Mesozoic leiodid, Cretagyrtodes glabratus gen. et sp. nov., based on a single specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. The fossil is placed in Agyrtodini (subfamily Camiarinae) after maxillary palpomere 4 as wide as palpomere 3, and procoxal cavities closed behind. Cretagyrtodes is tentatively attributed to the extant “Eupelates group”. The discovery of Cretagyrtodes in Burmese amber suggests that the south hemisphere endemic tribe Agyrtodini is probably an ancient group, which has showed its first appearance before the breakup of Pangaea.     

The first record of Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from the Upper Cretaceous of Myanmar

A new subfamily of Ichneumonidae, Novichneumoninae subfam. nov., is established based on two new genera with two new species: Novichneumon longus gen. et sp. nov. and Caloichneumon perrarus gen. et sp. nov. These two new species are the first ichneumonids described from the Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber. A list of all described Mesozoic ichneumonid fossil species with their respective localities and ages is summarized. The distribution of Ichneumonoidea during the Cretaceous indicates that Cretaceous ichneumonids were documented from localities at high latitudes while braconids were distributed worldwide, a pattern consistent with the distribution of extant ichneumonids and braconids.     

A new parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil: The first Mesozoic Pteromalidae

A new genus and species of small (3.5 mm excluding ovipositor) parisitoid wasp is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation Lagerstätte of Brazil. Parviformosus wohlrabeae gen. et sp. nov. is known from a single female imago and is assigned to Pteromalidae. It is diagnosed by the robustness of the scutellum, the structure, size and positioning of the mesopleuron, the complexity of the propodeum–petiole junction and a posteriorly curved dorsal ‘lip’ on metasomal segment 4. At only 3.5 mm in length, P. wohlrabeae is the smallest fossil wasp from the Cretaceous of South America and the first Mesozoic representative of Pteromalidae.     

A new genus and species of soldier beetle from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera,Cantharidae, Malthininae)

A new Upper Cretaceous genus and species of soldier beetles, Archaeomalthodes rosetta gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated from an individual preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) amber from northern Myanmar. It is undoubtedly placed in extant subfamily Malthininae based on its small-sized body, somewhat abbreviated elytra and fusiform terminal maxillary palpomere, representing the oldest documented occurrence of Malthininae. It suggests that this subfamily is an ancient group, which originated at least in the earliest Late Cretaceous. Our discovery sheds light on the palaeodiversity of Cantharidae in the Late Mesozoic. Together with other previously reported fossil cantharids, it is likely that Malthininae has been fairly diverse during the early evolution of Cantharidae. On the other hand, a morphological similarity between Archaeomalthodes and Recent malthinines and the occurrence of flowering plants in the Burmese amber implies a potential flower-visiting behaviour of this fossil species.     

The first fossil species of subfamily Piestinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of China

Two new Early Cretaceous fossil rove beetle species, Paleosiagonium brevelytratum n. gen. n. sp. and Paleosiagonium adaequatum n. gen. n. sp. are described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China. They are clearly placed in the extant Piestinae according to the following characters: body elongate and flat; anterior coxae small and globose; abdomen long and parallel-sided, with six visible sterna and one pair of paratergites on segments III–VII. This is the first report on the occurrence of the coleopteran subfamily Piestinae in the fossil record. The new discoveries indicate that Piestinae have originated at least by the Early Cretaceous, at about 125–120 Ma.     

The first fossil hilarimorphid fly (Diptera: Brachycera)

Although recent molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest a great antiquity, going into the Jurassic, for the small modern fly family Hilarimorphidae, no fossil was attributed to this group. The first fossil hilarimorphid Cretahilarimorpha lebanensis gen. et sp. nov., is described, based on a specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber. Its external morphology is analysed and compared with that of Hilarimorpha, unique modern hilarimorphid genus. The differences concern the wing venation, antenna and especially mouthparts. Cretahilarimorpha has very elongate mouthparts, adapted for nectar feeding or (less probably) for predation on other insects. Several other Lower Cretaceous lineages have developed similar elongate mouthparts, viz. nemestrinid and xylomyiid flies, and the Mecoptera: Aneuretopsychina, probably adapted to still unknown deep nectar-producing flowers. A checklist of species belonging to the Hilamorphidae is given.     

A new genus and species of polypore fungus beetle in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera,Tetratomidae, Eustrophinae)

A new polypore fungus beetle is described and figured from an individual preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) amber from northern Myanmar. Cretosynstrophus archaicus gen. et sp. nov. is confidently placed in the extant subfamily Eustrophinae based on its elongate oval body and pronotum with two basal, sublinear impressions. It shares several characters belonging to two Recent tribes (Eustrophini and Holostrophini), but it cannot be attributed to either of them. Together with other tetratomid genera from the Cretaceous, the new discovery implies that the Recent small family Tetratomidae is much more diverse and more widespread than previously documented. In addition, a morphological similarity between Cretosynstrophus and extant Synstrophus suggests a similar fungi feeding habit for Cretosynstrophus, highlighting an ancient association between tetratomid beetles and fungi in the Mesozoic.     

New Eoptychoptera (Insecta: Diptera,Ptychopteridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain

A new species, Eoptychoptera cantabrica sp. nov. is described from the Albian El Soplao amber-bearing deposits based on a single male with an elongated proboscis, unknown among extant members of Ptychopteridae. It represents the youngest record of the species-diverse genus Eoptychoptera. A pupa of Eoptychoptera sp. with a long respiratory horn, typical of extant ptychopterids, is described from Las Hoyas limestones, where adult fossil ptychopterids have yet to be discovered. A key to species of Eoptychoptera, based on wing venation, and a distribution map of Cretaceous Ptychopteridae are provided. The climatic preferences and mouthparts of Mesozoic and recent Ptychopteridae are discussed.     

A new species of Vetanthocoridae (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha) from the Lower Cretaceous of China

A new species, Crassicerus limpiduspterus sp. n., is characterized, described and assigned to the tribe Crassicerini of the fossil family Vetanthocoridae. All of the specimens were collected from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Chaomidian Village, Liaoning Province. The Crassicerini are interpreted to have thrived in live plant habitats, including flowers, shrubs and trees, based on their antennal type.     

The first Mesozoic turtle from South Korea

The partial carapace of a “macrobaenid” turtle from the Geoncheonri Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in Gyeongsan City near Daegu Metropolian City, South Korea, is referred to Kirgizemys Nessov and Khozsatzky, 1973. The specimen most closely resembles K. exaratus Nessov and Khozsatzky, 1973 from the Albian of Kyrgyzstan. It is the first turtle fossil described from the Mesozoic sediments on the Korean peninsula.     

First fossil Coloninae from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Staphylinoidea: Leiodidae)

Fossil leiodids are sparse, and they are confined to the Cenozoic. Here we describe and illustrate the first definitive Mesozoic leiodid, Colonellus burmiticus sp. nov., based on two well-preserved adults from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. The fossil is firmly placed in the extant Coloninae based on multiple synapomorphies, such as antennae with normal-sized antennomere 8 and abdominal intersegmental membranes with “brick-wall” pattern. It can be further assigned to the extant genus Colonellus (subgenus Pentacolonellus) by its five-segmented antennal club. The discovery suggests that Colonellus is an ancient group, originating no later than the mid-Cretaceous.     

New fossil anurans from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group of Hyogo Prefecture,Western Honshu,Japan

We describe two well-preserved and articulated fossil anurans excavated from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group in Hyogo Prefecture, Western Honshu, Japan, as new taxa on the basis of unique combinations of character states. We performed a phylogenetic analysis that included these new taxa, as well as Mesozoic and archaic anurans. This analysis strongly supports the monophyly of each of the two new taxa, both of which are placed in more derived positions than extant leiopelmatids or Liaobatrachus from the Lower Cretaceous in China. Anuran specimens from the Tetori Group of Japan are not assigned to the two new taxa, suggesting that at least three anuran taxa were present in Japan during the Early Cretaceous. These Japanese representatives are not closely related to known fossil anurans from Eastern Eurasia, unlike recently described Cretaceous lizards from these two regions.