Current knowledge of Coleoptera (Insecta) from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber and taxonomical notes for some Mesozoic groups

Abstract

This paper overviews more than 39 families of fossil Coleoptera from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber from nine outcrops. Lebanese amber contains the oldest representatives of the families Scydmaenidae (considered by some as a subfamily of Staphylinidae), Ptiliidae, Elodophalmidae, Clambidae, Throscidae, Lebanophytidae fam. n., Ptilodactylidae, Cantharidae, Melyridae, Dasytidae, Dermestidae, Ptinidae, Kateretidae, Erotylidae, Latridiidae, Laemophloeidae, Salpingidae, Anthicidae, Melandryidae, Aderidae, Curculionidae (Scolytinae). The families Chelonariidae and Scraptiidae are known from both Lebanese amber and Baissa, with both sites having a comparable age. The subfamilies Trechinae (Carabidae), Euaesthetinae (Staphylinidae) and Liparochrinae (Hybosoridae) first appear in the fossil record in Lebanese amber. The Coleoptera in Lebanese amber mostly belong to groups with arboreal habits (as found today in wood and tree fungi).Eochelonarium bellegen. et sp. n.,Rhizophtoma synchrotronicasp. n.,Rhizobactron marinaegen et sp. n. andAtetrameropsis subglobosagen. et sp. n. are described from Lebanese amber. A new subfamily in the family Cerophytidae is proposed forAphytocerus communisZherichin, 1977 (Aphytocerinae subfam. n.) and new genusBaissopsisgen.nov. is erected forBaissophytum amplusChang, Kirejtshuk et Ren, 2011. Also a new interpretation of the taxon “Lasiosynidae” is provided by placing it as a subfamily in the family Eulichadidae with two genera (LasiosyneTan, Ren et Shih, 2007 andBupredactylaKirejtshuk, Chang, Ren et Shih, 2010), while the other genera initially regarded as “Lasiosynidae” were tentatively transferred into Eulichadinae sensu n. (MesodascillaMartynov, 1926;TarsomegamerusZhang, 2005;BrachysyneTan et Ren, 2009;AnacapitisYan, 2009;ParelateriformiusYan et Wang, 2010 andCretasyneYan, Wang et Zhang, 2013) with the new synonymy ofTarsomegamerusandParelateriformiussyn. n. The genusMesaplusHong, 1983 described in the family Triaplidae is also transvered to Eulichadinae. The generaArtematopoditesPonomarenko, 1990;DzeregiaPonomarenko, 1985 andGlaphyropteroidesHandlirsch, 1906 proposed for species known only by separate elytra and recently included in the “family” Lasiosynidae (Yan et al., 2013) are regarded as Elateriformiaincertae sedis. The first insect from the newly discovered outcrops of Nabaa Es-Sukkar – Brissa: Caza (District) Sir Ed-Danniyeh, Mouhafazet (Governorate) Loubnan Esh-Shimali (North Lebanon) is described and the first general description of this outcrop is made.