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Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
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| 2:17p | [PaleoEntomology • 2025] Rutrizoma donoghuei & R. pisanii • Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous
Abstract Ecological interactions are fundamental to understanding species’ trophic relationships and the evolution of ecosystem functions. However, the fossil record seldom captures these intricate dynamics, as most fossils preserve individual organisms rather than the interactions that shaped ancient ecosystems. Here, we describe a new genus of bark-gnawing beetles (Trogossitidae), Rutrizoma gen. nov., from mid-Cretaceous amber in northern Myanmar. This fossil genus reveals a rare combination of predatory and antipredatory adaptations, shedding light on the ecological complexity of Mesozoic forest ecosystems. Rutrizoma has specialized morphological features, such as shortened elytra and unidentate mandibles, suggesting an active predatory lifestyle in narrow wood galleries. Interestingly, some morphological traits of Rutrizoma mirror those of its potential prey, particularly bostrichid beetles, from the same amber deposit. One such trait is its specialized abdominal declivity, which probably functioned as a protective shield against predators and competitors, representing marked convergence with the elytral declivity of other subcortical beetles, such as bark and ambrosia beetles (Scolytinae and Platypodinae) and Bostrichidae. The presence of phoretic mites associated with Rutrizoma, along with co-preserved bostrichid prey, underscores the complex community dynamics beneath Cretaceous tree bark. This finding reveals a subcortical ecosystem that parallels modern ecological interactions. Keywords: Cretaceous, beetle, phragmosis, defence, ecological interaction Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758 Family Trogossitidae Latreille, 1802 Subfamily Trogossitinae Latreille, 1802 Genus Rutrizoma Li & Cai gen. nov. Type species. Rutrizoma donoghuei sp. nov., here designated. Etymology. The generic name is formed based on the Latin rutrum, shovel, referring to the bordered declivity at the abdominal apex, and part of the name Nemozoma Latreille, a closely related trogossitid genus. When Latreille [1804] established the genus name Nemozoma, he likely intended it to reference the elongate body (νῆμα [nema]: thread + σῶμα [soma]: body). Although Latreille improperly latinized the second component, since ζῶμα (zoma) is still a Greek neuter noun, according to ICZN Article 30.1.2, Nemozoma should be treated as neuter (S. Laplante & P. Bouchard 2025, personal communication; contrary to [Kippenhan, 2023]). The new name Rutrizoma should thus also be neuter. Diagnosis. Body slender. Frons with weak longitudinal median groove, without paired horn-like processes. Antennae with 11 antennomeres; club weakly asymmetrical; antennomeres 9 and 10 without exposed sensorial field; antennomere 11 with exposed sensorial field. Mandibles with one prominent apical tooth. Galea with ciliate setae. Pronotal disc elongate, with longitudinal median groove. Procoxal cavities narrowly separated, closed externally. Elytra strongly shortened, apically truncate, leaving abdominal segments IV–VII fully exposed, each with five distinct longitudinal grooves. Mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated, open laterally. Metacoxae contiguous, medially projecting, laterally not reaching lateral margin of metathorax. Protibia with robust spine on mesal edge. Abdominal tergite VII specialized, forming bordered declivity; margins with dense ciliate setae. Abdominal ventrites strongly convex.
Rutrizoma donoghuei Li & Cai sp. nov. Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Philip C. J. Donoghue. Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma donoghuei differs from R. pisanii in the smaller body size (about 4.1 mm long in the holotype and similar in all the paratypes) and the edge of abdominal declivity with projected lobes at the base.
Rutrizoma pisanii Li & Cai sp. nov. Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Davide Pisani. Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma pisanii differs from R. donoghuei in the larger body size (about 5.4 mm long in the holotype) and the simple edge of abdominal declivity.
Yan-Da Li, Richard A. B. Leschen, Jiří Kolibáč, Michael S. Engel, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Yali Yu, Diying Huang and Chenyang Cai. 2025. Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous. Proc. R. Soc. B. 292: 20251004. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1004 [11 June 2025] | ||||||||||
| 2:17p | [Crustacea • 2025] Galathea tukitukimea • A New Species of Galathea (Decapoda: Galatheidae) from the seamounts of the Easter Island Area (Southeast Pacific Ocean Ridge) associated with a sea urchin
Abstract Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. is described from the seamounts near Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and represents the first record of the genus for this region of the Pacific Ocean and for Chilean territory. The new species belongs to the group of species having the carapace with median protogastric and cardiac spines. G. tukitukimea has always been observed associated with the sea urchin Stereocidaris nascaensis. This potential mimicry-based association is uncommon in squat lobsters, which warrants further study. Key words: Barcoding, Crustacea, Galatheoidea, symbiosis, taxonomy
Superfamily Galatheoidea Samouelle, 1819 Family Galatheidae Samouelle, 1819 Genus Galathea Fabricius, 1793 Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet tukitukimea derives from the Rapa Nui words tuki tuki mea, meaning “red dots”, in reference to the vivid reddish spots on the carapace and pereiopods. The name was proposed by Serafina Moulton Tepano, a Rapa Nui artist who accompanied the FKt240224 expedition. It is treated as a noun in apposition.  María de los Ángeles Gallardo Salamanca, Cynthia Asorey, Enrique Macpherson. 2025. A New Species of Galathea (Decapoda, Galatheidae) from the seamounts of the Easter Island area (Southeast Pacific Ocean Ridge) associated with a sea urchin. ZooKeys. 1248: 111-123. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1248.159542 | ||||||||||
| 2:17p | [Entomology • 2025] Montichneumon immortalibestia • A New Genus of Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from the high mountains of Taiwan
Abstract A new genus and species, Montichneumon Chen & Kikuchi gen. nov. and Montichneumon immortalibestia Chen & Kikuchi gen. et sp. nov., are described from the high mountains of Taiwan. This new genus is identified as belonging to the Amblyteles genus-group (previously known as subtribe Amblytelina, tribe Ichneumonini). The status of the new genus is confirmed based on morphological comparison and a multigene phylogeny using concatenated 28S and COI sequences. Montichneumon can be distinguished from other related genera by its enlarged second segment of maxillary palps, smooth and sparsely punctate postpetiole, weakly convex scutellum without lateral carina, and narrow, elongate gastrocoelus. The new genus is compared with morphologically similar genera Achaius Cameron, 1903, Achaiusoides Tereshkin, 2011, Diphyus Kriechbaumer, 1890, Hepiopelmus Wesmeal, 1845, Limerodops Heinrich, 1949, Serratichneumon Riedel & Sheng, 2023, and Tricholabus Thomson, 1894. A diagnostic key to these morphologically similar genera of the Amblyteles genus-group is provided, and the generic position of this new genus is also discussed. Keywords: Darwin wasp, generic placement, molecular phylogeny, high-elevation, taxonomy Montichneumon Chen & Kikuchi gen. nov. Etymology: The generic name ‘Montichneumon’ is derived from the Latin dative singular noun ‘monti-’ (‘mountain’) plus ‘ichneumon’, reflecting that this new genus was collected from the high-elevation mountain of its type locality in Taiwan. The gender is masculine. Montichneumon immortalibestia Chen & Kikuchi gen. et sp. nov. Etymology: The specific name ‘immortalibestia’ is derived from the Latin words ‘immortali-’ (‘immortal’) plus ‘bestia’ (‘beast’), meaning ‘the undying beast’. The name refers to the superhero character ‘Wolverine’ from the Marvel Comics series ‘X-Men’, who has the abilities of regeneration and beast-like retractable metal claws, as the yellow and black color pattern of this species resembles the costume of this character. Specific name is a noun in apposition. Hsuan-Pu Chen, Namiki Kikuchi and Shiuh-Feng Shiao. 2025. Montichneumon, A New Genus of Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from the high mountains of Taiwan. European Journal of Taxonomy, 1007(1); 1–23. DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.1007.2997 |
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