Remarkable diversity of the handsome fungus beetles genus Cretaparamecus (Coleoptera: Endomychidae: Merophysiinae) from mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar

The extent of the diversity of fossil handsome fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Endomychidae) is still poorly comprehended but in the recent years efforts have been made in their documentation. Recently, different taxa from mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar have been discovered and described. These represent the oldest known members of several subfamilies of Endomychidae or have been placed as incertae sedis within the family. The genus Cretaparamecus (Merophysiinae) was earlier described based on one species from Myanmar amber, C. tarsalis. Here we describe three new species from the same locality and geological horizon, C. angustus, C. crassipes and C. uncinus spp. nov. The genus is redescribed to incorporate the morphological variation observed in these species. The morphological and species diversity of the genus in mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar is discussed. In order to confirm the origin and age of the amber pieces studied, FT-IR spectra were obtained. & COPY; 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.