Fossil Record and Evolution of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera: Polyphaga)

The fossil record of scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) is reviewed and its relevance for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the taxon is explored. After a discussion of the different kinds of preservation of scarab fossils, including preservation of color, the richest scarab deposits are identified. From the fossil record, the minimum age of Scarabaeoidea is determined as 152 myr. To develop an idea about the appearance...