First record of the subfamily Sagrinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from the Eocene of North America

Andrei A Legalov

doi:10.5194/fr-24-135-2021

Abstract

Abstract. A new genus, Palaeatalasis gen. nov. (type species P. monrosi sp. nov.), from the tribe Megamerini (Chrysomelidae: Sagrinae) from the early-middle Eocene Green River Formation is described and illustrated. The new genus is similar to the Recent Atalasis Lacordaire, 1845 but differs from it in the subparallel sides of the pronotum, metafemora without teeth, and non-emarginate eyes. It differs from the Eocene Eosagra Haupt, 1950 in the large, convex, non-emarginate eyes, wide elytra, and transverse pronotum. The new genus is distinguished from the Paleocene Gallopsis Legalov, Kirejtshuk et Nel, 2019 in the wide forehead and convex eyes. It is the first record of the Sagrinae from North America and the fourth known species of the family Chrysomelidae from the Green River.

Highlights

Leaf beetles of the family Chrysomelidae, which are common inhabitants of Recent ecosystems, develop on leaves or in different plant organs
The first record of Bruchinae was from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Legalov et al, 2020), Galerucinae from the Santonian Taimyr amber (Nadein and Perkovsky, 2018), Donaciinae from the Danian of Russian Academy of Science (Russia) (Bienkowski, 2015) and the late Palaeocene of Canada (Askevold, 1990), Sagrinae and Cryptocephalinae from the middle Paleocene of France (Piton, 1940; Legalov et al, 2019), Eumolpinae from the early Eocene Oise amber (Moseyko et al, 2010), Cassidinae from the early-middle Eocene of the USA (Chaboo and Engel, 2009), and Criocerinae from the late Eocene Baltic amber (Bukejs and Schmitt, 2016)
Members of the Sagrinae were found in the middle Paleocene of France (Legalov et al, 2019) and the Eocene of Germany (Wappler, 2003; Wedmann, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

Leaf beetles of the family Chrysomelidae, which are common inhabitants of Recent ecosystems, develop on leaves or in different plant organs. Sagrinae, Bruchinae, Donaciinae, Criocerinae, Cassidinae, Chrysomelinae, Galerucinae, Eumolpinae, Lamprosomatinae, Cryptocephalinae, Spilopyrinae, and Synetinae, can be distinguished within the family (Bouchard et al, 2011; Reid, 2014). The first record of Bruchinae was from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Legalov et al, 2020), Galerucinae from the Santonian Taimyr amber (Nadein and Perkovsky, 2018), Donaciinae from the Danian of Russia (Bienkowski, 2015) and the late Palaeocene of Canada (Askevold, 1990), Sagrinae and Cryptocephalinae from the middle Paleocene of France (Piton, 1940; Legalov et al, 2019), Eumolpinae from the early Eocene Oise amber (Moseyko et al, 2010), Cassidinae from the early-middle Eocene of the USA (Chaboo and Engel, 2009), and Criocerinae from the late Eocene Baltic amber (Bukejs and Schmitt, 2016).

Material and methods

Systematic paleontology

Discussion