An enigmatic Cretaceous beetle with possible affinity to Erotylidae (Coleoptera: Cucujiformia)

• Published in: Current research in insect science 2024-01, Vol.5, p.100075-100075, Article 100075
• Main Authors: Li, Yan-Da, Liu, Zhen-Hua, Huang, Di-Ying, Cai, Chen-Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Burmese amber; Cucujiformia; Fossil; Parsimony; Phylogenetic analysis
• ISSN: 2666-5158; 2666-5158
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100075

•We describe and illustrate a puzzling cucujiform beetle, Isocryptophilus exilipunctus, from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.•Isocryptophilus has a combination of unusual characters, and cannot be easily placed in existing families.•Based on our phylogenetic analyses, we argue that Isocryptophilus is most likely to belong to Erotyloidea, possibly closer to Erotylidae.•The novel way to present the result of constrained phylogenetic analysis allows researchers to perceive the uncertainty of the fossil placement. The morphology of beetles of the recently defined superfamilies Erotyloidea, Nitiduloidea and Cucujoidea is varied. Determining the systematic positions of Mesozoic fossils within these groups can often be challenging. Here we describe and illustrate a puzzling cucujiform beetle, Isocryptophilus exilipunctus Li & Cai gen. & sp. nov., based on an individual from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. While we cannot definitively pinpoint the exact phylogenetic position of Isocryptophilus, its possible affinity to Erotylidae is discussed in light of our phylogenetic analyses. A broader-sampled morphological matrix, coupled with a robust molecular phylogeny of these groups, will be promising for clarifying the systematic placement of the fossil.