Mesozoic Cleroidea (Coleoptera): First record of mid-Cretaceous Lophocateridae from Burmese amber and notes on the disputed genera Cervicatinius Tan & Ren (Trogossitidae) and Forticatinius Tan & Ren (Artematopodidae)

Mesozoic lophocaterids are relatively rare and here we describe and illustrate two new genera and two new species, Mesolophocateres pengwen Yu, Leschen & lipinski gen. et sp. nov. and Parayixianteres parvus Yu, Leschen & Slipinski gen. et sp. nov. based on seven well-preserved adults from the mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. The new taxa broaden the generic and species diversity of lophocaterids and the fossils provide additional information for calibrating phylogenetic trees. We argue that Cervicatinius Tan & Ren should be maintained as a separate genus from the Trogossitidae genus Sinopeltis Yu et al. and Forticatinius Tan & Ren should be maintained in the elateroid family Artematopodidae. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study describes and illustrates two new genera and two new species of Mesozoic lophocaterids from the mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. The new taxa expand the diversity of lophocaterids and provide additional information for calibrating phylogenetic trees. Additionally, it suggests maintaining certain genera in separate families for more accurate classification.