<i>Prolucanus beipiaoensis</i> gen. et sp. nov.: The First Fossil Species of Lucaninae (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) from the Early Cretaceous of Northeastern China
Zhi-Hao Qi,
Erik Tihelka,
Chen-Yang Cai,
Hai-Tian Song,
Hong-Mu Ai
Affiliations
Zhi-Hao Qi
College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Erik Tihelka
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Chen-Yang Cai
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Hai-Tian Song
Fujian Academy of Forestry Sciences, Fuzhou 350012, China
Hong-Mu Ai
College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
A new stag beetle fossil is described from the Yixian Formation in northeastern China. A new genus is established based on this well-preserved specimen. Prolucanus beipiaoensis gen. et sp. nov. is firmly placed in the extant lucanid subfamily Lucaninae based on its broad prosternal process and geniculate antennae. Our discovery represents the first fossil record of Lucaninae from the Late Mesozoic of China and the oldest reliable record belonging to the subfamily. We also summarize the fossil species of stag beetles found in China and the described fossil species of the subfamily Lucaninae found in the world. A key to all fossil genera of Lucanidae from China is provided.
