THE FIRST FOSSIL LIMNICHIDAE FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER (COLEOPTERA: BYRRHOIDEA)

Fossil limnichids are very rare, and were known from the Cenozoic so far. Here we describe and illustrate the first definitive Mesozoic representative of the family Limnichidae, Erichia cretacea sp. nov., based on a well-preserved adult from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. This taxon is firmly placed in the extant Cephalobyrrhinae based on multiple characteristics, such as body elongate and oval, base of pronotum and elytra incised and metacoxae transverse. The discovery of a Mesozoic fossil species classified in the recent genus suggests that Limnichidae and Cephalohyrrhinae are ancient groups, that experienced long evolutionary stasis.