A new species of the genus Mallecupes (Coleoptera: Cupedidae) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, northern Myanmar

Abstract

A rare archaic beetle, Mallecupes cheni sp. nov., (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Cupedidae) is described based on a relatively well-preserved specimen from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. It is the fifth species of the genus from the same location that can be distinguished from the other 4 congeners based on the combination of rounded temples, laterally produced anterior angles of the pronotum, and extremely large, ovoid window cells in rows 9 and 10. The protective body structures and occupying the wood inhabiting niche resulted in a relatively high diversity of amber fossils of this genus.