The Clicking Elateroidea from Chinese Mesozoic Deposits (Insecta, Coleoptera)

Abstract

Recent molecular studies have suggested that the clicking beetle families Elateridae, Eucnemidae, Throscidae, and Cerophytidae evolved in the Jurassic and diversified in the Cretaceous. These studies paid little attention to fossils, using them only as dating tools. The identification of Elateridae fossils is challenging, as external synapomorphies are not known for this family. Elateridae can be identified only as something not belonging to the other related families, all of which have diagnostic synapomorphies. Most subfamilies and tribes of Elateridae do possess definite diagnostic characters, however, making their identification feasible. We checked the 28 Elateridae described from Chinese Mesozoic deposits. Twelve were Elateridae, seven were Eucnemidae, and one was a Throscidae. Three species could be Eucnemidae, but showed aberrant characters. Five species could not be placed and may not belong to Elateroidea at all. On the basis of these results we suggest that all previously described Elateridae fossils should be re-checked. They should be searched for synapomorphies defining Eucnemidae, Throscidae, and Cerophytidae. If such characters are not present, a click beetle type of fossil can be placed in Elateroidae incertae sedis. The Mesozoic Chinese Elateridae fossils all belong to clades that do not exist today, whereas the Mesozoic Eucnemidae subfamilies are extant ones. This may be the source of the disagreement between Elateridae fossil age and datings based on molecular studies. One new combination was made: Desmatus ponomarenkoi (Chang, Kiretjshuk & Ren, 2009) NEW COMBINATION (= Paradesmatus ponomarenkoi Chang, Kirejtshuk & Ren, 2009).

The Fossil Record of Elateridae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea): Described Species, Current Problems and Future Prospects

“…Oberprieler et al [ 98 ] reported a possible elaterid fossil from the Upper Jurassic of Australia. Most recently, Kundrata et al [ 12 ] compiled an updated comprehensive summary of the fossil genera in Elateridae, including their systematic placement and information on the type species, gender, number of species, age range, and relevant bibliography, and Muona et al [ 99 ] revised the clicking Elateroidea from Chinese Mesozoic deposits, with several former click-beetle taxa transferred to Throscidae and Eucnemidae. This study is a follow up to the annotated catalogue of fossil genera in Elateridae [ 12 ].…”

Subfamily Anischiinae (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) in Early Cretaceous of Northeast China

“…The discovery of Anischiinae fossils with a set of plesiomorphic elateroid features combined with the Anischiinae synapomorphies offered support for the earlier hypothesis [24], and clarified the exact position of Anischiinae within Eucnemidae. The polymorphism of apical elytral excretory punctures in extant species is exceptional, but as stated in Muona and Teräväinen [10], this feature has been lost secondarily in some derived Macraulacini as well.…”

“…Chang et al [6] and Muona et al [10] showed that basal lignicolous Eucnemidae diversification had taken place in the Jurassic and the Cretaceous. Here, we demonstrated that Anischiinae were present in the Cretaceous as well.…”

“…Otto [8] and Li et al [9] added one species each from the late Cretaceous Burmese amber. Our knowledge of the Mesozoic fauna was greatly expanded when Muona et al [10] showed that the previously described Chinese elaterid fossils included one Jurassic and six early Cretaceous eucnemids, all of them belonging to extant monotypic subfamilies (Pseudomeninae Muona, Schizophilinae Muona, and Palaeoxeninae Muona).…”

“…Here, we report the first fossil species belonging to the eucnemid subfamily Anischiinae Fleutiaux. The placement of the fossil follows the guidelines presented in Muona et al [10].…”