Sinopeltis Yu, Leschen, Ślipinski , Ren & Pang, 2012

Kolibac, Jiri, 2013, Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys, ZooKeys 366, pp. 1-194 : 80-81

† Genus Sinopeltis Yu, Leschen, Ślipinski, Ren & Pang, 2012 Map 6

Sinopeltis Yu, Y., Leschen, R. A. B., Ślipiński, A., Ren, D. & Pang, H. 2012: 246.

Type genus.

Sinopeltis jurassica Yu, Leschen, Ślipiński, Ren & Pang, 2012

Remarks.

This genus, containing two species, has only recently been established. The fossils are well preserved, with both part and counterpart. The species are relatively large, body shape perfectly appropriate to Peltinae or Lophocaterinae . The eyes are distinctly elevate, much more so than those in extant Ancyronini . The 3-segmented antennal club of Sinopeltis jurassica is "weakly asymmetrical" (quite symmetrical in the original picture), that of Sinopeltis amoena is "strongly asymmetrical" (inconspicuously so in the picture). The mesocoxae appear contiguous (unknown state in Trogossitidae ) in Sinopeltis jurassica , whereas they are narrowly separated in Sinopeltis amoena . Both discrepancies mentioned may be the results of different positions of body parts (coxae, antennae) assumed during fossilization. Unfortunately, neither the ends of the tibiae nor the tarsi and mouthparts are described in either species, which leads to a lack of direct evidence for classification. Both Sinopeltis jurassica and Sinopeltis amoena are about 165 million years old and belong, if their classification is correct, together with species of Thoracotes , among the oldest known fossil members of Trogossitidae .

Description.

" Body broadly ovoid and parallel-sided. Antenna distinctly clubbed with antennomeres symmetrical [S. jurassica: " weakly asymmetrical "; S. amoena: " strongly asymmetrical "]; antennal insertions visible in dorsal view. Eyes convex. Frontoclypeal suture present. Antennal grooves present and parallel. Anterior pronotal angles well developed and subrounded. Mesoventrite not vaulted. Mesocoxae widely separated [see “note” in Remarks]. Metaventrite lacking axillary space and metakatepisternal suture. Metacoxae not excavate and narrowly separated. Elytra with seriate punctation (in one fossil). Abdominal ventrite 1 about as long as 2, intercoxal process narrow. Body length 7.5-7.6 mm, width 4.5-4.8 mm. " (Diagnosis of the genus according to Yu, Leschen, Ślipiński, Ren & Pang 2012.)

Distribution.

China: Inner Mongolia, Daohugou. Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan formation.

Species:

† Sinopeltis jurassica Yu, Leschen, Ślipiński, Ren & Pang, 2012; China: Inner Mongolia; Middle Jurassic (AD)

Yu, Y., Leschen, R. A. B., Ślipiński, A., Ren, D. & Pang, H. 2012: 247

† Sinopeltis amoena Yu, Leschen, Ślipiński, Ren & Pang, 2012; China: Inner Mongolia; Middle Jurassic (AD)

Yu, Y., Leschen, R. A. B., Ślipiński, A., Ren, D. & Pang, H. 2012: 247

Figures

Map 6. A distribution of the tribe Lithostomatini and the genus † Juralithinus (Peltinae incertae sedis).