Abstract

Grimaldi & Engel (2008) described Cretopiesma suukyiae from Burmese amber and attributed it to Piesmatidae (mainly because of its very small size), but was later recognized as belonging to Aradidae. Herein we add some morphological characters to the description of Cretopiesma Grimaldi & Engel, 2008, sens. lat., sens. nov. which we assign to Archearadinae Heiss & Grimaldi, 2002. We revise the diagnosis of Archearadinae and synonymize Microaradus Heiss & Poinar, 2012, nov. syn. with Cretopiesma. We also describe, illustrate and characterize (from the same fossil genus) three new species Cretopiesma engelgrimaldii sp. nov., C. lini sp. nov. and C. inexpectatum sp. nov. A key to all species of Cretopiesma is given. The new discoveries provide new insight for understanding the palaeobiodiversity of the Aradidae during the mid-Cretaceous period.