Propiestus archaicus, the first Mesozoic amber inclusion of piestine rove beetles and its evolutionary and biogeographical significance (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Piestinae)

Fossil records of piestine rove beetles are very limited, with only two definite species from Mesozoic Chinese compressions, a single taxon from mid-Eocene Baltic amber and a doubtful Oligocene compression fossil from France. Here, a remarkable new genus and species, Propiestus archaicus gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a well-preserved individual in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber from northern Myanmar (Cenomanian, c. 99 Ma). It...