ABSTRACT

Protopselaphinae is a monogeneric subfamily of Staphylinidae comprising eight extant and one extinct species of minute rove beetles. We describe a tenth species of this enigmatic subfamily, Protopselaphus newtoni sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (~99 Ma). Protopselaphus newtoni sp. nov. differs from its congeners in its smaller body size and antennal structure. Uniquely, the apical maxillary palpomere of the new species is longer than maxillary palpomere 3. A key to the extant and fossil members of the genus Protopselaphus is provided. Extinct species of the subfamily Protopselaphinae are smaller than extant species, a trend also apparent in some other beetle lineages present in Burmese amber, opening new questions about the evolution of insect body size in the Mesozoic.

摘要

Protopselaphinae 是 Staphylinidae 的一个单属亚科，包括八种现存和一种已灭绝的小甲虫。我们描述了这个神秘亚科的第十种，Protopselaphus newtoni sp。11 月，来自中白垩纪缅甸琥珀（~99 Ma）。Protopselaphus newtoni sp. 十一月 与同类的不同之处在于其较小的体型和触角结构。独特的是，新物种的顶端上颌柄长于上颌柄 3。Protopselaphus属现存和化石成员的关键提供。亚科 Protopselaphinae 的灭绝物种比现存物种小，这一趋势在缅甸琥珀中存在的其他一些甲虫谱系中也很明显，这为中生代昆虫体型的演变提出了新的问题。