Abstract

The parasitic wedge-shaped beetle Ripidinelia burmiticola gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae: Ripidiinae) is described and illustrated based on a single male inclusion preserved in a mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar. The species shows an unique combination of characters, i.e., three-segmented maxillary palpi known for example in another Cretaceous genus Protoripidius Cai, Yin et Huang, 2017 and some extant Australian genera, 11-segmented antennae with three basal antennomeres simple and remaining antennomeres bearing long rami, known for example in extant genus Ripidius Thunberg, 1806 but unique among Cretaceous Ripidiinae, and each tibia armed by one tibial spur. Additional seven males including one double and one triple syninclusions from the same deposit are ascribed to the same genus. The presence of tibial spurs in Ripidinelia gen. nov. requires redefinition of the subfamily Ripidiinae, because tibial spurs were absent in all so far known species of the subfamily.