The beetle (Coleoptera) fauna of the Insect Limestone (late Eocene), Isle of Wight, southern England

Abstract

ABSTRACTA review of the faunistic composition of the coleopterous taphocenoses from Bembridge Marls is given. Only two families (Cupedidae and Carabidae) have been recorded from this site before. A total of 31 families have been revealed and determined in the course of the recent study, and 42 species have been described:Agabus latissimusPonomarenko, sp. nov. andIlybius gratsheviPonomarenko, sp. nov. from Dytiscidae;Neothanes europaeusPonomarenko, sp. nov. from Carabidae;Spercheus punctatusPonomarenko, sp. nov.,Spercheus wightensisPonomarenko, sp. nov. from Spercheidae,Hydrochara woodwardiPonomarenko & Soriano, sp. nov. andBerosus barclayiPonomarenko & Soriano, sp. nov. from Hydrophilidae;Ochthebius rossiKirejtshuk, sp. nov.,Eolimnebius fossilisKirejtshuk, sp. nov.,Hydraenites gracilimmusKirejtshuk, sp. nov.,Metacoxites ventritalisKirejtshuk, sp. nov.,Davidraenites gratsheviKirejtshuk, sp. nov.,D. interruptusKirejtshuk, sp. nov. andD. spurcusKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Hydraenidae;Aphodius vectisKrell, sp. nov. andPentodon dorcusKrell, sp. nov. from Scarabaeidae;Scirtes calcariferensKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov.,Scirtes khnzoryaniKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov.,Scirtes metepisternalisKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov.,Scirtes wightensisKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov.,Contacyphon insularisKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov.,Contacyphon involutusKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov. andContacyphon kozloviKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov. from Scirtidae;Eucinetes nikolaevaeKirejtshuk & Ponomarenko, sp. nov. from Eucinetidae;Macropunctum rossiAlexeev, sp. nov. from Elateridae;Byrrhites bembridgensisKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Byrrhidae;Paralichas striatopunctatusKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Ptilodactylidae;Trixagus barclayiKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Throscidae;Themus(?Telephorops)polyakiKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Cantharidae;Attalus flexusKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Malachiidae;Epuraea(Epuraea)kozloviKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov.,Phenolia(Lasiodites)vanescensKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov.,Prometopia europaeaKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov.,Cyllodes argutusKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov. andCoxollodes palaeogenicusKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov. from Nitidulidae;Telmatophilus britannicusKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov. from Cryptophagidae;Corticariites kozloviKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Latridiidae;Orthoperites antiquusKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, sp. nov. from Corylophidae;Octotemnites sepultusKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Ciidae;Cyclodinus efficaxKirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Anthicidae; andPlateumaris robustusKurochkin & Kirejtshuk, sp. nov.,Plateumaris rubiconisKurochkin & Kirejtshuk, sp. nov. andPlateumaris wightensisKurochkin & Kirejtshuk, sp. nov. from Chrysomelidae.ByrrhitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,CorticariitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,DavidraenitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,EolimnebiusKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,HydraenitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,MetacoxitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov.,OctotemnitesKirejtshuk, gen. nov. andOrthoperitesKirejtshuk & Kurochkin, gen. nov. are proposed as taxa, partly as formal ones with generic rank and include species described herein. ForPlateumaris rubiconissp. nov., a new subgenusNecrodexisKurochkin & Kirejtshuk, subgen. nov. is proposed. A brief review of the published fossil records for the groups considered in the paper is made. The probable ecological circumstances of the lives of the groups and species considered are discussed in the paper, and comparison with other Palaeogene sites and some conclusions on probable climatic circumstances have been elaborated. The taxonomic interpretation of three fossil species from the Caenozoic is reconsidered. It is shown that the genusMiocyphonWickham, 1914 can be scarcely regarded as a close relative of representatives of either Dascillidae or Scirtidae. ‘Phenolia'incapaxScudder, 1890 andLithomacratriaWickham, 1914 are regarded here without family attribution, the first as a member of Cucujiformia (i.e., out of Nitidulidae) and the latter as a member of the superfamily Tenebrionoidea (i.e., out of both Anthicidae and Pyrochroidae).