Abstract
A remarkable oxyteline rove beetle species, Anotylus archaicus Yue, Makranczy & Ren, 2012, has recently been described based on several exquisitely preserved fossil impressions from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, northeast China. Based on our two new specimens and a comprehensive comparison with extant Anotylus species, we here suggest that all the previously-reported and new specimens, bearing separated gular sutures, sub-contiguous mesocoxae, 5-segmented metatarsi, short and poorly-sclerotized abdominal segment II, and abdominal segments III–VII each with one pair of paratergites, represent a new genus and belong to the basal oxyteline tribe Euphaniini rather than Oxytelini. In addition, it was suggested as the earliest fossil rove beetle demonstrating sexual dimorphism, the male with strong projections of the anterior pronotal angles. However, we suggest that the sexual dimorphism is probably misinterpreted, since the so-called projections can also be found in a female specimen. The projections actually formed when the anterior pronotal margin broke, a condition when the head is retracted into the pronotum.
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