New ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae) from Miocene Mexican and Dominican ambers and their paleobiogeographical implications

Abstract

Two new species are described from Mexican amber (15–20 Ma): Cenocephalus tenuis Peris and Solorzano Kraemer sp. nov. and Tesserocerus simojovelensis Peris and Solorzano Kraemer sp. nov. Cenocephalus, originally described as living in Central and South America and then as fossils from Early to Middle Miocene amber, is noted as morphologically indistinguishable from Mitosoma, and originally described as endemic from Madagascar. Thus, we consider that a close taxonomic relationship exists, even if they are not the same genus. New evidence of the species already described in Platypodinae (Tesserocerini) from Mexican and Dominican ambers (15–20 Ma) and the differences between those species are discussed, complementing the original descriptions. The paleobiogeography of Cenocephalus and Mitosoma is analyzed, which strongly supports the hypothesis of colonization from Afrotropical Madagascar to America prior to Early to Middle Miocene (15–20 Ma) via sea currents. Hymenaea was interpreted as the Mexican and Dominican resin producers. Based on the analysis of fossil and current distribution of such plants, our hypothesis considers that the beetle dispersion occurred with Hymenaea, which was possibly its host plant.