A new species of Diochus from Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Diochini)

The first fossil of the staphylinine tribe Diochini Casey is described and figured from an inclusion in mid-Eocene (Lutetian) Baltic amber. Diochus electrussp. n. is distinguished from its congeners and the diversity of rove beetles (Staphylinidae s.l.) is summarized briefly.     

Functional morphology and evolution of specialized mouthparts of Cephenniini (Insecta,Coleoptera, Staphylinidae,Scydmaeninae)

We present the results of a morphological study of the labium and labial (premental) discs in Cephenniini, ant-like stone beetles feeding on oribatid mites. The discs are composed of a cuticular plate connected by a circumferential ring with the hypopharyngeal suspensorium. The discs have likely developed from the premental cuticle and from internal sclerotizations of the labium. The shape of the external plate can be changed from flat to concave and vice versa by contractions and relaxations of the labial muscles. Contractions result in a flat or only slightly concave shape whereas during relaxation the discs become strongly concave and adhere tightly to the captured mite. Once this is achieved, detaining of the prey is energy-free. Based on known hypotheses concerning the evolution of Oribatida and Staphylinidae, we exclude the possibility of a co-evolution of “proto-Cephenniini” with yet unarmored “proto-Oribatida”, and suggest three alternative scenarios: i) the predators co-evolved with a particular early lineage of Oribatida that has acquired the hard armor relatively recently; ii) ancestors of Cephenniini gradually shifted from feeding on other types of prey towards fully armored Oribatida; or iii) the labial discs have originally developed for functions not related to feeding.     

Dayao gen. n. of the subtribe Tyrina (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae) from South China

Dayao pengzhongigen. et sp. n. is described and illustrated based on the material collected in Guangxi Province, South China. The genus is placed in the oriental 'Pselaphodescomplex' of genera of the subtribe Tyrina and its taxonomic placement is discussed.     

Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. of the tribe Kalcapiini (Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae) in Baltic amber

A new genus and species, Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Brentidae: Apioninae: Kalcapiini) is described and illustrated from Upper Eocene Baltic amber. The new genus is similar to the genus Melanapion Wagner, 1930 but differs from it in having femora ventrally with spine at distal 1/3, simple claws, a longer rostrum, elytra weakly widened towards apex, longer antennae and slightly narrower elytral striae.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2A95C49D-5589-4ACA-8A87-0DDF635BA25E     

Description of Bryantinus gen. n. from Sarawak,and New Distributional Records for Cerochusa cilioceps in Thailand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

A new genus and species of the subtribe Batrisina from western Sarawak, Bryantinus matangusgen. et sp. n., is described, illustrated, and compared with related taxa. In addition, examination of a small series of batrisine material from Thailand revealed a new country record for Cerochusa cilioceps Yin & Nomura, which was previously known only from the island of Hainan in southern China.     

A new genus of Cyrtoscydmini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from Japan

Rutaraphes shikokuensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Shikoku, Japan. The new taxon belongs to a group of genera characterized by the lateral sutures demarcating the submentum and is most similar to Neuraphes and Scydmoraphes. Morphological structures of Rutaraphes are illustrated and possible affinities with other genera of Cyrtoscydmini are discussed. Keys to identification of Palearctic and Japanese genera of Cyrtoscydmini are given. Including Rutaraphes, 14 genera of Scydmaeninae are currently known to occur in Japan.     

Palerasnitsynus gen. n. (Trichoptera, Psychomyiidae) from Burmese amber

Palerasnitsynus ohlhoffigen. et sp. n. is described fromBurmese amber of late Albian (Lower Cretaceous) age. This is the first record of the family Psychomyiidae from Burmese amber, and the earliest fossil record of the family. The genus Palerasnitsynusgen. n. differs from all other known psychomyiid genera by the absence of fork III in the forewings.     

Pleurambus strongylus n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Belidae) in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of belid weevils, Pleurambus strongylus Poinar and Legalov, n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Belidae) in the tribe Allocorynini is described from Dominican amber. Belid fossils are quite rare and the new species is the first fossil member of the family from the Neotropics. This discovery suggests that belid diversity in Hispaniola during the Tertiary was higher than at present since no extant belids have been reported from the West Indies.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DF79FF39-634D-4BD7-AD0B-F5FB3BBE1081     

Description of Pella tianmuensis sp. n. from eastern China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)

Pella tianmuensis sp. n., a myrmecophile associated with Lasius (Dendrolasius) spathepus Wheeler, 1910 in West Tianmushan Natural Reserve, Zhejiang, is described, illustrated and distinguished from its congeners.     

Alesiella gen.n. and a newly discovered relict lineage of Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

This study aimed to identify the sister group of the poorly known and morphologically isolated Burmese species Quedius lineipennis within the tribe Staphylinini (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) using morphological characters. Phylogenetic analysis of a broad taxon sample demonstrated that this Asian species is not a member of the genus Quedius but forms the sister taxon to the Neotropical genus Quediomacrus. Both taxa were shown to be members of a hitherto unrecognized lineage with a highly disjunct distribution. The lineage is hypothesized to be Asian in origin, with dispersals to the Americas during the early Eocene climatic maximum via Beringia and to Australia via land connections in the late Miocene. The current distribution of the lineage is considered to be relictual. New phylogenetic hypotheses within ‘Quediina’ and Staphylinini as a whole are proposed and the general tree topology of Staphylinini recovered by recent morphological studies is refined. Phylogenetic relationships within the Quedius complex remain unclear. Alesiella Brunke and Solodovnikov gen.n. , is erected for Quedius lineipennis and the Quedius subgenus Quedionuchus is reinstated to genus level with new combinations as follows: Quedionuchus atl (Smetana, 1975), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus calli (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus cipactli (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus coatl (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus ehacatl (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus ollin (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus ozomatli (Smetana, 1975), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus reitterianus (Bernhauer, 1944), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus samuraicus (Bernhauer and Schubert, 1916), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus schultzei (Smetana, 1975), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus tecpatl (Smetana, 1976), comb.n. ; Quedionuchus xochitl (Smetana, 1976). Quedius lugubris Lokay, 1913 is transferred from the subgenus Quedionuchus to the subgenus Distichalius and placed in synonymy: Quedius punctatellus (Heer, 1839) = Quedius lugubris Lokay, 1913, syn.n . This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9C7D3C90‐FCB9‐414F‐911B‐194A1A6602DE .     

A new genus and species of the rove beetle tribe Mesoporini from Baltic amber (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

A new extinct rove beetle, Palaeomesoporus electiricus gen. et sp.n., is described from a single specimen of Eocene Baltic amber. This fossil beetle is placed in the tribe Mesoporini, a ‘basal’ group of the mega-diverse subfamily Aleocharinae. Palaeomesoporus is easily discriminated from other mesoporine genera due to its less-developed antennal club, longer and slender elytron lacking a sinuate posterior margin, and prominently shorter mesotarsus. This finding sheds light on the paleodiversity and evolutionary history of the tribe and ‘basal’ Aleocharinae.     

Araneibatrus gracilipes gen. et sp. n., a remarkable Batrisitae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae) from P. R. China

Araneibatrus gracilipesgen. n. and sp. n. from South China is described and illustrated. The systematic position of the genus is discussed.     

New curculionoid beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Baltic amber

New genera and species of curculionid beetles from the Baltic amber, Pseudoglaesotropis martynovi gen. et sp. nov. (Anthribidae), Palaeometrioxena zherikhini gen. et sp. nov. (Belidae), Eocenorhynchites vossi gen. et sp. nov. (Rhynchitidae), and Archaeosciaphilus marshalli gen. et sp. nov. (Curculionidae), are described.     

New species ofElectribius Crowson 1973 (Coleoptera: Artematopodidae) from Baltic amber

Three new species of the genusElectribius Crowson 1973 (Coleoptera: Artematopodidae),E. friederichi, E. balticus, andE. procerus are described from the Baltic amber. The characters separating the extant and fossil species ofElectribius are summarised in a key. A list of the known extant and fossil species of Artematopodidae sensuLawrence (1995) with synonyms and remarks on the geographical distribution is provided. The distribution of the members of the family and the identical morphological specializations of the fossil and extant species ofElectribius suggest that the taxon formerly had a much wider distribution and is relatively old. The possibility that the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous generaSinoelaterium Ping 1928and Artematopodites Ponomarenko 1990 represent early members of the Artematopodidae is discussed.     

The evolution of "deformed" brains in ant-like stone beetles (Scydmaeninae, Staphylinidae)

We present the first study of the central nervous system of adult representatives of Scydmaeninae. Histological staining, scanning electron microscopy and computer-based 3D reconstruction techniques were used to document the shape and configuration of the major cephalic elements of the central nervous system and to explain its anomalies compared to other Coleoptera. For the first time we report the presence of cephalic glands in ant-like stone beetles: in Scydmaenus (Cholerus) hellwigii openings of voluminous glands are located near the occipital constriction and their secretion accumulates in a large cavity of the dorsal head region. In Scydmaenus (Cholerus) perrisi the proto-, deuto-, tritocerebrum and the suboesophageal ganglion together form a large and compact ganglionic mass around the anterior foregut in the retracted neck region of the head. We exclude miniaturization as the driving force of the observed modifications. Comparative study of the head anatomy of S. perrisi, S. hellwigii, Scydmaenus (s. str.) tarsatus, Scydmaenus (Parallomicrus) rufus and Neuraphes elongatulus suggests a possible evolutionary scenario. We propose an evolutionary reversal hypothesis, involving a) the displacement and concentration of the cephalic central nervous system induced by the development of glandular cavities of the head, followed by b) a reduction of the glandular structures, without a secondary relocation of the cephalic CNS. The interpretation of head modifications in Scydmaeninae in the light of such a scenario may turn out as important for the reconstruction of the phylogeny and evolution of this highly successful group of beetles.     

Paleotrichius dominicanus n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera; Cetoniidae), a flower beetle in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of flower beetle, Paleotrichius dominicanus, n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae: Trichinae) is described from Dominican amber. The new taxon is distinguished from all other New World trichines by the combination of the shape of the clypeus, pronotum, protibia, the femoral and tibial armature, the mesosternal process separating the middle coxae, the distinct strial pattern on the elytra and the approximate claws. The beetle may have been quite colourful and a strong flyer attracted to flowers. The larvae most likely developed in decaying hardwoods in the Dominican amber forest. This is the first amber representative of the family Cetoniidae.     

The first record of the subfamily Xenoscelinae (Coleoptera,Erotylidae) from the Baltic amber

The first Erotylidae of the subfamily Xenoscelinae from the Late Eocene Baltic amber, Warnis tvanksticus gen. et sp. nov., is described. The new genus is distinguished from closely related Xenoscelis Woll. and Zavaljus Reitt. by the presence of well-developed femoral lines on the first abdominal ventrite and also the shape of the pronotum, the body size, the absence of lateral carina on the elytra or pits at the base of the pronotum, and the presence of a gular pit.     

Weiria australis gen. n., sp. n., the first fully myrmecoid aleocharine staphylinid from Australia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Aenictoteratini)

Abstract Weiria australis gen. n and sp. n. (type locality Western Australia, Kimberley Region, CALM Site 25/1, Synnot Ck.), a myrmecoid (ant-like body form) aleocharine staphylinid, is described, and habitus and line illustrations are provided for its recognition. The species is tentatively placed in the tribe Aenictoteratini; similarities and differences to tribal characters shared by other members of the Aenictoteratini, and similarities and differences to other aenictoteratine genera are discussed. This is the first fully myrmecoid aleocharine, and the first member of the tribe Aenictoteratini, known from Australia. Association of Weiria gen. n. with the ant genus Aenictus Shuckard is postulated.