Boring beetles are not necessarily dull: New notocupedins (Insecta: Coleoptera) from the Mesozoic of Eurasia and East Gondwana

Beetles belonging to the extinct tribe Notocupedini (Coleoptera: Cupedidae: Ommatinae) are widespread in Mesozoic deposits of eastern Pangaea. Four new species are proposed in the genus/collective group Zygadenia: Z liui sp. nov. (Aptian: Yixian Formation, China), Z. martinae sp. nov. (Sinemurian-Toarcian: Cattamarra Coal Measures, Australia), Z floodpagei sp. nov. and Z simpsoni sp. nov. (Hauterivian-Barremian: Weald Clay Group, UK). The Purbeck species Z. tuberculata and Z. angliae are figured from the Weald Clay Group for the first time. It is also proposed that Notocupes, the largest genus in this presumably xylophagous, warm climate tribe, be divided into two subgenera: Notocupes subgen. n. and Amblomma stat. nov. In addition, the palaeoecological significance of colour markings in these Mesozoic beetles is also discussed for the first time. These discoveries extend the geographic distribution/stratigraphic range of Zygadenia and shed new light on the palaeoecology and diversity of so-called 'primitive' beetles in pre-angiospermous woodlands. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.