A new riffle beetle in Upper Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (Coleoptera: Elmidae)

Chenyang Cai*, Crystal A. Maier, Diying Huang

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A new riffle beetle is described and figured based on an exceptionally well-preserved individual preserved in Upper Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Cretohypsilara parva gen. et sp. nov. is undoubtedly placed in the extant beetle family Elmidae, not assigned to a precise subfamily, though it represents the first record of a fossil riffle beetle possessing characteristics of the subfamily Larainae, including elongate subovate body covered with dense pubescence, clubbed antennae, and exposed protrochantins. It represents the oldest definitive record for the family, based on genitalic morphology, long claws, and the distinctive expanded prosternum. This Cretaceous riffle beetle is also probably a true water beetle, living in running water, providing information about the poorly known aquatic beetle fauna in the Mesozoic.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)154-159
Number of pages6
JournalCretaceous Research
Volume89
Early online date27 Mar 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2018

Keywords

  • Elmidae
  • Larainae
  • Cenomanian
  • Burmese amber
  • Taxonomy

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