A new species of small-eyed Quedius (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) from the Early Cretaceous of China

Quedius cretaceus sp. nov., belonging to the Recent widespread staphylinine genus Quedius, is described and figured based on an exquisitely preserved specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou, Liaoning Province, Northeast China. The new species, bearing relatively small and anteriorly-located eyes, displays remarkable resemblances to some members of the extant subgenus Microsaurus. However, it can be readily recognized from its rest of congeners by the combination of moderately separated gular sutures, relatively small procoxae, short metacoxae, and pronotal hypomeron with relatively large postcoxal process. This new find from the Early Cretaceous (ca. 125 Ma) represents the oldest fossil record for Quedius. It also suggests that the worldwide-distributed genus has already originated at least in the Early Cretaceous. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.