A new species of the subgenus Meligethes Stephens (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from Sichuan, China

Abstract: Meligethes (Meligethes) pallidoelytrorum, Chen et Kirejtshuk sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Sichuan, China. It can be readily distinguished from related species by the smoothed dorsal integument, diffused and sparse punctations on elytra and the very distinct tooth at base of the claw. Meligethe

Comment on the letter of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) dated April 21, 2020 regarding 'Fossils from conflict zones and reproducibility of fossil‑based scientific data': Myanmar amber

Recently, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) has sent around a letter, dated 21st April, 2020 to more than 300 palaeontological journals, signed by the President, Vice President and a former President of the society (Rayfield et al. 2020). The signatories of this letter request significant changes to the common practices in palaeontology. With our present, multi-authored comment, we aim to argue why these suggestions will not lead to improvement of both practice and ethics of palaeontological research but, conversely, hamper its further development. Although we disagree with most contents of the SVP letter, we appreciate this initiative to discuss scientific practices and the underlying ethics. Here, we consider different aspects of the suggestions by Rayfield et al. (2020) in which we see weaknesses and dangers. It is our intent to compile views from many different fields of palaeontology, as our discipline is (and should remain) pluralistic. This contribution deals with the aspects concerning Myanmar amber. Reference is made to Haug et al. (2020a) for another comment on aspects concerning amateur palaeontologists/citizen scientists/private collectors

Comment on the letter of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) dated April 21, 2020 regarding “Fossils from conflict zones and reproducibility of fossil‑based scientific data”: Myanmar amber

Non peer reviewe

Cockroaches Probably Cleaned Up after Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs undoubtedly produced huge quantities of excrements. But who cleaned up after them? Dung beetles and flies with rapid development were rare during most of the Mesozoic. Candidates for these duties are extinct cockroaches (Blattulidae), whose temporal range is associated with herbivorous dinosaurs. An opportunity to test this hypothesis arises from coprolites to some extent extruded from an immature cockroach preserved in the amber of Lebanon, studied using synchrotron X-ray microtomography. 1.06% of their volume is filled by particles of wood with smooth edges, in which size distribution directly supports their external pre-digestion. Because fungal pre-processing can be excluded based on the presence of large particles (combined with small total amount of wood) and absence of damages on wood, the likely source of wood are herbivore feces. Smaller particles were broken down biochemically in the cockroach hind gut, which indicates that the recent lignin-decomposing termite and cockroach endosymbionts might have been transferred to the cockroach gut upon feeding on dinosaur feces

On the evolution of anthophilous Nitidulidae (Coleoptera) in tropical and subtropical regions

Volume: 47Start Page: 111End Page: 13

Taxonomic Review of Fossil Coleopterous Families (Insecta, Coleoptera). Suborder Archostemata: Superfamilies Coleopseoidea and Cupedoidea

The paper is the first of a series, which aims to present a consistent interpretation of the suprageneric taxa of fossil beetles in the current century and their generic and species composition. Order Coleoptera is considered in composition of the superorder Coleopteroidea Handlirsch, 1903 (= Coleopterida sensu Boudreaux, 1979, nec Pearse, 1936) together with orders Skleroptera and Strepsiptera, and also with the family Umenocoleidae of unclear position. This paper includes the archostematan superfamilies Coleopseoidea and Cupedoidea of the infraorder Cupediformia, i.e., Coleopseidae (one genus and one species), Tshekardocoleidae (12 genera, 15 species), Labradorocoleidae (one genus, one species), Permocupedidae (together with Taldycupedinae, stat. nov., 24 genera and 54 species) and Cupedidae (three subfamilies, 49 genera, 253 species). The preliminary information on structure of the larva of Tshekardocoleidae from Tshekarda is done. There are also described the new taxa: genus Afrotaldycupes Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: genus Taldycupes africanus Ponomarenko in Ponomarenko & Mostovski, 2005 [Afrotaldycupes africanus comb. nov.] and Afrotaldycupes lidgettoniensis (Ponomarenko in Ponomarenko & Mostovski, 2005), comb. nov. [Taldycupes]; genus Allophalerus Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Tetraphalerus aphaleratus Ponomarenko, 1969 [Allophalerus aphaleratus comb. nov.], and also with Allophalerus antiquus (Ponomarenko, 1964), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus bontsaganensis (Ponomarenko, 1997), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus incertus (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus latus (Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus maximus (Ponomarenko, 1968), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus okhotensis (Ponomarenko, 1993), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus tenuipes (Ponomarenko, 1964), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Allophalerus verrucosus (Ponomarenko, 1966), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus]; genus Bukhkalius Kirejtshuk et Jarzembowski, gen. nov. with the type species: Tetraphalerus lindae Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2017 [Bukhkalius lindae comb. nov.]; genus Burmocoleus Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Burmocoleus prisnyi sp. nov. and Burmocoleus zhiyuani (Liu, Tan, Ślipiński, Jarzembowski, Wang, Ren et Pang, 2017), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus]; genus Cionocups Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Cionocups manukyani sp. nov.; genus Echinocups Kirejtshuk et Jarzembowski, gen. nov. with the type species: Notocupes neli Tihelka, Huang et Cai, 2020 [Echinocups neli comb. nov.], and also Echinocups ohmkuhnlei (Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2020), comb. nov. [Notocupes] and Echinocups denticollis (Jiang, Li, Song, Shi, Liu, Chen et Kong, 2020), comb. nov. [Notocupes]; genus Jarzembowskops Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Brochocoleus caseyi Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2016 [Jarzembowskops caseyi comb. nov.]; genus Lobanovia Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Simmondsia permiana Ponomarenko, 2013 [Lobanovia permiana comb. nov.]; genus Pintolla Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Kaltanicupes ponomarenkoi Pinto, 1987 [Pintolla ponomarenkoi comb. nov.]; genus Polyakius Kirejtshuk, gen. nov. with the type species: Polyakius alberti Kirejtshuk, sp. nov. and Polyakius pubescens Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Clessidromma zengi Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Cupes golovatchi Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Cupes legalovi Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Cupes lutzi Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Cupes nabozhenkoi Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Cupes wedmannae Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.; Mallecupes prokini Kirejtshuk, sp. nov. and Omma janetae Kirejtshuk, sp. nov. The new synonymy is established for the generic names Clessidromma Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2017 and Lepidomma Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2019, syn. nov. The rank of Cainomerga A. Kirejtshuk, Nel et P. Kirejtshuk, 2016 is elevated from subgeneric to generic. Also other new combinations are proposed: Cainomerga brevicornis (A. Kirejtshuk, Nel et P. Kirejtshuk, 2016), comb. nov. [Mesocupes], Cainomerga fraterna (A. Kirejtshuk, Nel et P. Kirejtshuk, 2016), comb. nov. [Mesocupes], Cainomerga immaculata (Piton, 1940: 194), comb. nov. [Zonabris, Mesocupes], Cainomerga palaeocenica (A. Kirejtshuk, Nel et P. Kirejtshuk, 2016), comb. nov. [Mesocupes], and Cainomerga ponti (A. Kirejtshuk, Nel et P. Kirejtshuk, 2016), comb. nov. [Mesocupes], Clessidromma tianae (Jarzembowski, Wang et Zheng, 2019), comb. nov. [Lepidomma], Diluticupes applanatus (Tan et Ren, 2009), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Diluticupes crowsonae (Jarzembowski, Yan, Wang et Zhang. 2013), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Diluticupes magnus (Tan et Ren, 2009), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Diluticupes minor (Ponomarenko, 2000), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Diluticupes validus (Tan et Ren, 2009), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Diluticupes yangshuwanziensis (Jarzembowski, Yan, Wang et Zhang. 2013), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Monticupes curtinervis (Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Monticupes decorosus (Tan, Wang, Ren et Yang, 2012), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Odontomma sulcatum (Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Omma ancistrodontum (Tan, Wang, Ren et Yang, 2012), comb. nov. [Pareuryomma], Omma grande (Ponomarenko, 1964), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Omma longicolle (Ponomarenko, 1997), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Pareuryomma angustum (Tan, Ren et Shich, 2007), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Pareuryomma magnum (Tan et Ren, 2009), comb. nov. [Brochocoleus], Zygadenia aliena (Tan et Ren, 2006), comb. nov. [Ovatocupes], Zygadenia baojiatunensis (Hong 1992), comb. nov. [Chengdecupes], Zygadenia brachycephala (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia caduca (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia caudata (Ponomarenko, 1966), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia cellulosa (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia crassa (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov., [Notocupes], Zygadenia cyclodontus (Tan, Ren, Shih et Ge, 2006), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia dischdes (Zhang, 1986), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Notocupes dundulaensis (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia elegans (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia epicharis (Tan, Ren et Liu, 2005), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia eumeura (Tan, Ren et Liu, 2005), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia excellens (Ponomarenko, 1966), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia exigua (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia foersteri (Ponomarenko, 1971), comb. nov. [Procarabus, Notocupes], Zygadenia homora (Lin, 1986), comb. nov. [Conexicoxa, Notocupes], Zygadenia issykkulensis (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia jurassica (Hong 1983), comb. nov. [Chengdecupes], Zygadenia kezuoensis (Hong 1987), comb. nov. [Chengdecupes], Zygadenia khasurtuiensis (Strelnikova, 2019), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia khetanensis (Ponomarenko, 1993), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia kirghizica (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia laeta (Lin, 1976), [Tetraphalerus], Zygadenia laiyangensis (Hong et Wang, 1990), comb. nov. [Forticupes, Notocupes], Zygadenia lapidaria (Ponomarenko, 1968), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia laticella (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia lata (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia lenta (Ren, Lu, Guo et Ji, 1995), comb. nov. [Tetraphalerus], Zygadenia lini (Ponomarenko, Yan, Wang et Zhang, 2012), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia longicollis (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia ludongensis (Wang et Liu, 1996), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia minuscula (Tan, Ren, Shih et Ge, 2006), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia mongolica (Ponomarenko, 1994), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia nigrimonticola (Ponomarenko, 1968), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia oxypyga (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia patula (Ponomarenko, 1985), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia pingi (Ponomarenko et Ren, 2010), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia porrecta (Tan, Ren, Shih et Ge, 2006), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia protensa (Tan, Ren, Shih et Ge, 2006), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygodenia psilata (Tan, Ren et Liu, 2005), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], , Zygadenia pulchra Ponomarenko, 1968, comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia reticulata (Oppenheim, 1888), comb. nov. [Procarabus, Notocupes], Notocupes rostrata (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia rudis (Tan, Ren et Liu, 2005), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia shiluoensis (Hong 1984), comb. nov. [Chengdecupes], Zygadenia sogutensis (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov., Zygadenia stabilis (Tan, Ren et Liu, 2005), comb. nov. [Amblomma, Notocupes], Zygadenia tenuis (Ponomarenko, 1969), comb. nov. [Notocupes], Zygadenia tripartita (Oppenheim, 1888), comb. nov. [Procarabus, Notocupes], Zygadenia tuanwangensis (Hong et Wang, 1990), comb. nov. [Picticupes, Notocupes], Zygadenia valida (Lin, 1976), comb. nov. [Sinocupes, Notocupes], Zygadenia vitimensis (Ponomarenko, 1966), comb. nov. [Notocupes]

ASEF 1-2-2010.indb

Abstract. The paper deals with descriptions of four new species of Archostemata from the Paleocene and Earliest Eocene amber, Cupes manifestus n. sp., C. orbiculatus n. sp., C. ponomarenkoi n. sp. and Micromalthus eocenicus n. sp., the latter representing the oldest member of genus Micromalthus Leconte 1878 (Micromalthidae). The position, composition and origin of the genera Cupes and Micromalthus are considered. Cupes seemed to appear during Cretaceous or very close to this period, while Micromalthus could originate somewhat later. The synonymy of Cupedini and Priacmini is grounded. The genus Crowsoniella Pace 1975 (Crowsoniellidae) could be excluded from the suborder Archostemata and transferred into the infraorder Cucujiformia (Polyphaga). Résumé. Nouveaux Archostemata d

New Genus and Species of Limnichines from the Cretaceous Amber of Myanmar and Taxonomic Notes on the Family Limnichidae (Coleoptera, Polyphaga)

Burmochares groehnigen. et sp. nov., the oldest known representative of the subfamily Limnichinae and tribe Limnichini, is described from the Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. The new genus Hernandocharesgen. nov. is proposed for Platypelochares electricus Hernando, Szawaryn et Ribera, 2018 (type species of this new genus) from the Eocene Baltic amber. The structurally similar genera Platypelochares,Burmocharesgen.nov., Hernandocharesgen. nov., some other limnichines (Polyphaga) and some torridincollids (Myxophaga) are thought to be connected by their preference for similar habitats and lifestyle

Cyllodini Everts 1898

Key to genera of Cyllodini occurring in Australia 1. Mesoventrite with anterior edge strongly oblique, almost vertical, so that most of its surface, including a median carina, is higher (in ventral view, projecting towards the observer) than mesocoxae or metaventrite; metanepisternum less than 3× as long as wide and more or less parallel-sided; mandibular apex unidentate and simple (without serrations or spines); pronotum at least slightly wider than combined elytra (Figs 1, 3); elytra shorter than their combined widths; elytral punctures not forming distinct rows; length at least 4.5 mm; gonocoxites narrowly elongate, parallel-sided and subcontiguous, with distinct, elongate, parallel-sided, apical gonostyli (Fig. 59); northern NSW & southern QLD; associated with Opuntia cacti..................................................................................................... Camptodes Erichson - Mesoventrite with anterior edge flat or weakly carinate and any change in elevation occurring only at posterior end; metanepisternum more than 3.5× as long as wide and distinctly narrowed posteriorly (Fig. 14); pronotum not wider than combined elytra (Figs 2, 4); mandibular apex, IF unidentate, THEN armed with serrations or spines; IF length greater than 4 mm, elytra distinctly longer than wide; ovipositor never with elongate, parallel-sided, apical gonostyli; associated with various fungi..... 2 2 (1). Labrum wider than clypeus, consisting of a pair of diverging, rounded lobes flanking a deep notch widest at its opening, narrowing posteriorly and almost reaching the labral base; outer apical angle of protibia with distinct tooth; length always greater than 3.5 mm; associated with the fruiting bodies of Phallales................................. Gymnocychramus Lea - Labrum never as above, widest at base and not wider than clypeus, its apex usually with small median cleft with parallel sides; outer apical angle of protibia without distinct tooth; length never greater than 3.5 mm; associated with the non-woody fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes (mushrooms).................................................................... 3 3 (2). Mesoventrite with anterior edge on a distinctly different plane than metaventrite, its posterior end more or less vertical and emarginate forming a pair of mesothoracic lobes flanking the truncate anterior edge of metaventrite and visible in ventral view (Figs 50–51); posterior edges of mesocoxal cavities not joined by curved line extending across anterior process of metaventrite.................................................................................................... 4 - Mesoventrite with anterior edge on the same plane as or a slightly different plane than metaventrite, its posterior end emarginate but horizontal or only slightly oblique (Figs 52–53); posterior edges of mesocoxal cavities joined by curved line extending across anterior process of metaventrite (Figs. 52–53).......................................................... 5 4(3). Upper portion of body strongly convex (Fig. 10); lateral margins of elytra not visible from above (Fig. 2); frontoclypeal suture absent; vertexal line present at sides; mandible unidentate with dorsal and ventral serrations; all basal tarsomeres lobed; abdominal ventrite 1 without postcoxal lines.................................................. Cyllodes Erichson - Upper portion of body only slightly convex (Fig. 9); lateral margins of elytra visible for their entire lengths from above (Fig. 5); frontoclypeal suture present (sometimes weakly indicated externally); vertexal line absent; mandible bidentate with dorsal lobe serrate; no basal tarsomeres lobed; abdominal ventrite 1 with postcoxal lines................ Cyllopallodes, gen. nov. 5(3). Prosternum in front of coxa very short, less than 0.3× as long as mid length of a coxal cavity; mesal portion of prosternum with median carina extending beyond middle of prosternal process; anterior portion of mesoventrite (Fig. 52) with a pair of procoxal rests divided by a pair of posteriorly diverging carinae; metaventrite with short discrimen; axillary spaces absent; outer edge of mesotibia (Fig. 56) evenly curved and usuallly widest just beyond middle; ovipositor (Fig. 43) with broadly truncate apex.............................................................................. Coxollodes Kirejtshuk - Prosternum about 0.5× as long as mid length of coxal cavity, without or with weak median carina and sometimes with acute anterior projection; anterior portion of mesoventrite (Fig. 53) with short longitudinal carina and no procoxal rests; metaventrite without discrimen; axillary spaces (Fig. 54) usually well developed; outer edge of mesotibia in Australian species (Figs 57–58) subapically angulate; ovipositor with acute apex (Figs 48–49).................................... Pallodes ErichsonPublished as part of Lawrence, John F. & Kirejtshuk, Alexander G., 2019, Review of the Australian Cyllodini (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae), with descriptions of new taxa, and notes on the genus Macleayania (Nitidulini), pp. 301-334 in Zootaxa 4544 (3) on page 305, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4544.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/261837