Cretohypna Yan, Nikolajev & Ren

Yan, Zhuo, Nikolajev, Georgiy V. & Ren, Dong, 2012, A new, well-preserved genus and species of fossil Glaphyridae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea) from the Mesozoic Yixian Formation of Inner Mongolia, China, ZooKeys 241, pp. 67-75 : 68-69

Genus Cretohypna Yan, Nikolajev & Ren gen. n. Figs 1, 2

Type species.

Cretohypna cristata sp. n.

Etymology.

The generic name refers to the Cretaceous Period of its origin, and the generic name Anthypna Eschoscholtz, 1818. Gender: feminine.

Diagnosis.

Largeelongate oval and compact (head, pronotum and mesothorax are very close to each other) scarab beetle (Fig. 1c). Mandibles and labrum exposed beyond apex of clypeus and clearly visible in dorsal view of head, labrum approximately five times as wide as long. Pronotum subquadrate shaped with concave anterior margin and slightly convex lateral and posterior margins. Scutellum triangular. Mesoepimeron clearly visible from above between pronotum and elytron. Elytra convex and thin, without longitudinal carina; hind wings well-developed. Legs short and strong, mesocoxae moderately separated, protibia with three large teeth on outer margin (Fig. 1a), apex of male mesotibia lamellate (Fig. 1b, arrow); mesotibia and metatibia with 2 apical spurs; male metatarsus shorter than corresponding tibia (Fig. 1d). Abdomen with six visible sternites, first sternites not obscured by hind coxae. Pygidium exposed beyond apices of elytra.

Species composition.

Only the type species is known.

Distribution.

The genus is only known from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, Liutiaogou Village, Ningcheng County, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China.

Comparison.

According to the fossil record in the family Glaphyridae , there are three genera described from the Mesozoic Era: Glaphyrus (Nikolajev & Ren, 2011); Cretoglaphyrus ( Nikolajev 2005) and Lithohypna ( Nikolajev et al. 2011).

The new genus is readily distinguished from all Mesozoic Glaphyridae genera by very long first segment of male metatarsus. The new genus is distinguished from the genus Glaphyrus by lamellate apex of mesotibia and slender metafemur; from the genus Cretoglaphyrus by moderately separated mesocoxae and elytra without longitudinal carina; from the genus Lithohypna by short labrum and triangular scutellum.