A new fossil species of the extant genus Vicelva from mid‐Cretaceous Kachin amber (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Abstract

Abstract A new species of the extant staphylinid genus Vicelva Moore & Legner, V. rasilis sp. nov., is reported from mid‐Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. Vicelva rasilis is distinguishable from extant members of Vicelva by the smoother dorsal surface of head, pronotum and elytra, less prominent median projection of clypeus, unnotched mesal edge of mandibles, semiglabrous antennomere 6, and longer tarsomere 1. The pollen‐containing coprolite attached to the beetle and the crystals within the beetle body provide valuable information about the biology and taphonomy of the fossil.

Keywords

• beetle
• coprolite
• Cretaceous
• Kachin amber
• mineralization
• Phloeocharinae