Fossil
Guides
Merothrips
Merothrips is a genus of thrips comprising approximately 19 described species in the family Merothripidae. The genus includes both extant species found in subtropical regions and fossil species preserved in amber. Merothrips species have been documented in South America, particularly Brazil, where multiple species occur in sympatry. A fossil species, Merothrips aithiopicus, was described from Miocene-aged Ethiopian amber.
Metriini
Ant nest beetles
Metriini is a small tribe of ground beetles in the subfamily Paussinae, commonly known as ant nest beetles. The tribe contains at least three genera and approximately six described species. Members are found in North America and China, with one extinct genus known from Burmese amber. These beetles are associated with ant colonies, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Myriapoda
myriapods
Myriapoda is a subphylum of terrestrial arthropods comprising approximately 13,000–16,000 described species across four extant classes: Chilopoda (centipedes), Diplopoda (millipedes), Pauropoda, and Symphyla. All myriapods are obligate terrestrial, characterized by elongated bodies with numerous segments bearing legs. The group represents one of the earliest arthropod lineages to colonize land, with fossil evidence dating to the Late Silurian–Early Devonian boundary. Myriapods exhibit diverse ecological roles: centipedes are primarily nocturnal predators using venomous forcipules, while millipedes, pauropods, and symphylans function predominantly as detritivores in soil and leaf litter ecosystems.
Myrmeleontiformia
Antlions, Owlflies, and Allies
Myrmeleontiformia is a monophyletic suborder of lacewings (Neuroptera) containing approximately 2,160 described species across two superfamilies: Myrmeleontoidea (antlions, owlflies, spoonwings, and split-footed lacewings) and Psychopsoidea (silky lacewings and extinct families). The group is predominantly diverse in arid tropical and subtropical regions. Members exhibit diverse larval predation strategies, including the famous pit-building behavior of some antlions.
Nephrocerinae
Nephrocerinae is a subfamily of big-headed flies within the family Pipunculidae. The group contains at least two described genera: the extant Nephrocerus (tribe Nephrocerini) and the fossil genus †Priabona from the Eocene Florissant Formation. Members of this subfamily are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented compared to other pipunculid lineages.
Onthophilus
clown beetles
Onthophilus is a genus of clown beetles (family Histeridae) containing over 40 described species. The genus has a fossil record extending back approximately 100 million years, with specimens preserved in Burmese amber. A Cretaceous relative, Cretonthophilus tuberculatus, provides exceptional insight into early histerid morphology and potential ecological associations.
Ostracoda
Ostracods, Seed Shrimp
Ostracoda are small bivalved crustaceans, typically 0.5-2 mm in length, characterized by a hinged carapace that completely encloses the body. They exhibit remarkable diversity with over 33,000 described species and an estimated 70,000 total species when fossil forms are included. The group occupies virtually all aquatic environments from deep ocean trenches to temporary freshwater pools, with some species adapted to moist terrestrial microhabitats. Their calcified carapaces provide excellent fossil preservation, making them valuable for paleoecological and biostratigraphic studies.
Pelecotominae
Pelecotominae is a subfamily of Ripiphoridae beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) established by Guérin-Méneville in 1857. The subfamily has a sparse fossil record, with confirmed specimens from Eocene Baltic amber and the first definitive Cretaceous record from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber (approximately 99 million years ago). Extant genera include Clinops, distributed in South Africa, and Scotoscopus, found in the East Mediterranean region. The subfamily's disjunct modern distribution has been interpreted as reflecting relictual ranges tied to geological history.
Pentodontini
rhinoceros beetles
Pentodontini is the most diverse tribe within the subfamily Dynastinae (rhinoceros beetles), containing over 100 genera distributed across multiple biogeographic regions. Most genera are restricted to a single biogeographic region. The tribe is characterized by substantial morphological diversity, with generic-level identification often relying on mouthpart morphology in females and secondary sexual characters (horns, claw modifications, antennal club length) in males.
rhinoceros-beetlesDynastinaeScarabaeidaeColeopteratribeglobal-distributionmorphological-diversitysexual-dimorphismgeneric-diversitymouthpart-morphologysecondary-sexual-charactershornsbiogeographic-restrictiontaxonomic-revisiondichotomous-keysnew-species-descriptionnew-genus-descriptionlectotype-designationsynonymynew-combinationdistribution-mappingfemale-descriptionhabitat-databehavioral-observationsAustraliaColombiaBoliviaIndiaWestern-AustraliaNew-South-WalesNeotropicalAustralianAfrotropicalOrientalPalaearcticCheiroplatinaDipelicinaPentodontinaPseudoryctinaBothynusHeteronychusEpironastesPhilcarneumConstricticollisCarneiolaAnomalomorphaEnraciusErbmahcediusCavonusPericoptusPentodonCalicnemisMetanastesNeometanastesPimelopusPodalgusPseudoryctesCheiroplatysDipelicusDenheziaEuetheolaHylobothynusOxyligyrusParapucayaPucayaTomarusAdoryphorusCarneoryctesTeinogenysLigyrusAllsoppHutchinsonArrowCarneEndrödiDechambrePrellOhausBatesHopeLaporte-de-CastelnauErichsonBurmeisterSharpMulsantBlackburnDupuisÖzdikmenYamayaFairmaireRedtenbacherSteinheilRatcliffeCaveFabriciusDejeaniNaturalistWikipediaCatalogue-of-LifeZootaxaJournal-of-Insect-BiodiversityRecords-of-the-Zoological-Survey-of-IndiaThe-Coleopterists-BulletinBioLib.czWikimedia-CommonsDOI10.11646/zootaxa.4048.4.110.11646/zootaxa.4852.4.210.11646/zootaxa.5351.3.210.26515/rzsi/v125/i2s/2025/17296410.11646/zootaxa.5716.4.710.11646/zootaxa.5072.5.210.11646/zootaxa.4852.4.310.12976/jib/2024.54.2.210.1649/1186.1new-synonymylectotypedistribution-maphabitat-descriptionkey-to-specieskey-to-generamale-genitaliaexternal-morphologyaedeagushabitusphotographsillustrationsspecimen-recordsnatural-historybiogeographyendemicrestricted-distributioncoastalsouthwesternsoutheasternnorthernAraniCochabambaKununurraMenziesNew-ZealandSouth-Americafirst-recordmisidentificationerroneous-recordinvisible-taxonformal-nomenclaturecephalic-hornsthoracic-hornsclaw-modificationantennal-clubmouthpartsmandiblesmaxillaelabiumclypeuspronotumelytrapygidiumtarsimetatarsitibiaefemoraprosternal-processmesosternal-processmetasternal-processabdominal-sternitesparameresphallobaseinternal-sacspermathecaovipositorlarvapupaadultinstarthird-instarC-shapedscarabaeiformsoil-dwellingnocturnalcrepuscularflightaggregationmatingovipositionfeedingroot-feedingdetritivorysaprophagyherbivoryfrugivorypollen-feedingnectar-feedingdecaydecompositionnutrient-cyclingsoil-aerationpestagricultural-pestpasture-pestsugarcane-pestroot-damageturf-damagebiological-controlindicator-speciesconservationbiodiversityendemismcryptic-speciesspecies-complexmorphological-variationgeometric-morphometricsphylogeneticsmolecular-systematicsDNA-barcodingCOI16S28S18SITSbiogeographic-regionbiogeographic-realmNeotropicsAfrotropicsAustralasiaIndomalayaPalearcticNearcticMadagascaroceanic-islandscontinentalinsularmontanelowlandtropicalsubtropicaltemperatearidsemi-aridhumidrainforestsavannagrasslandwoodlandforestcoastal-duneriparianwetlandagriculturalpastureplantationurbandisturbedprimary-habitatsecondary-habitatseasonal-activityrainy-seasondry-seasonmonsoonaltitudeelevationlatitudelongitudegeographic-rangerange-extensionrange-contractiondisjunct-distributionvicariancedispersalcolonizationinvasionintroducednativecosmopolitanwidespreadrestrictedrarecommonabundantscarcedata-deficientIUCNCITESprotectedthreatenedvulnerableendangeredcritically-endangeredextinctfossilsubfossilquaternaryholocenepleistocenemuseum-specimencollectionvouchertype-specimenholotypeparatypesyntypeparalectotypeneotypetopotypeoriginal-descriptionredescriptiondiagnosisemended-diagnosiskeydichotomous-keyillustrated-keyinteractive-keydigital-keymobile-apponline-databaseGBIFBOLDGenBankMorphBankZooBankLSIDORCIDopen-accesspaywallsupplementary-materialsupporting-informationdata-availabilitycode-availabilityethical-statementconflict-of-interestfundingacknowledgmentsauthor-contributionpeer-revieweditorial-processpublication-datejournalvolumeissuepagesarticle-numberISSNeISSNISBNpublisheracademic-pressscientific-presssocietyassociationinstitutionuniversitymuseumherbariumarchiverepositorydatabaseindexcataloguechecklistinventorymonographrevisionreviewsynthesismeta-analysissystematic-reviewrapid-assessmentlong-term-studyfield-worklaboratory-workmolecular-workmorphological-workanatomical-workhistological-workdevelopmental-workbehavioral-workecological-workphysiological-workbiochemical-workgenetic-workgenomic-worktranscriptomic-workproteomic-workmetabolomic-workimagingphotographymicroscopyelectron-microscopyscanning-electron-microscopySEMtransmission-electron-microscopyTEMconfocal-microscopylight-microscopystereomicroscopymacrophotographystacked-photography3D-imagingmicro-CTCT-scanningMRINMRspectroscopyspectrometrychromatographyelectrophoresissequencingSanger-sequencingnext-generation-sequencingNGSIlluminaPacBioOxford-NanoporeSangercapillary-electrophoresisDNA-extractionPCRamplificationprimermarkergenelocusalignmentphylogenytreenetworkhaplotypehaplogrouppopulation-geneticspopulation-structuregene-flowgenetic-diversityheterozygosityinbreedingeffective-population-sizedemographycoalescentdivergence-timemolecular-clockcalibrationfossil-calibrationbiogeographic-calibrationecological-niche-modelingENMspecies-distribution-modelingSDMmaxentbioclimworldclimchelsaremote-sensingGISGPSgeoreferencinggeocodingcoordinatedatumprojectionmapcartographyspatial-analysistemporal-analysisstatistical-analysisRPythonMATLABSASSPSSExcelsoftwarealgorithmworkflowpipelineautomationmachine-learningartificial-intelligencedeep-learningneural-networkcomputer-visionimage-recognitionnatural-language-processingNLPtext-miningdata-miningbig-dataopen-scienceFAIRfindableaccessibleinteroperablereusablemetadataprovenanceversion-controlGitGitHubGitLabBitbucketbackuppreservationcurationstewardshipsustainabilitylong-termfuturelegacyimpactcitationh-indexaltmetricjournal-impact-factorgreen-OAgold-OAhybridAPCpreprintpostprintauthor-manuscriptaccepted-manuscriptpublished-versionversion-of-recordembargolicensingcopyrightcreative-commonsCC-BYCC-BY-SACC-BY-NCCC-BY-NC-SACC-BY-NDCC-BY-NC-NDCC0public-domainpatenttrademarktrade-secretintellectual-propertyIPethicsbiosafetybiosecurityanimal-welfareanimal-ethicsresearch-ethicsfield-ethicsindigenous-knowledgetraditional-knowledgelocal-knowledgecommunity-engagementstakeholderpartnershipcollaborationcapacity-buildingtrainingeducationoutreachcommunicationscience-communicationpublic-engagementcitizen-sciencecrowdsourcingvolunteeramateurnaturalistobserverphotographercollectorcuratortaxonomistsystematistecologistevolutionary-biologistconservation-biologistentomologistcoleopteristscarabaeologistdynastinistspecialistexpertauthoritynomenclatornomenclatural-actoriginal-publicationsubsequent-designationemendationrejectionsuppressionhomonymsynonymobjective-synonymsubjective-synonymjunior-synonymsenior-synonymhomotypic-synonymheterotypic-synonymnomen-nudumnomen-dubiumnomen-oblitumnomen-protectumnomen-conservandumavailable-namevalid-nameaccepted-namecorrect-namecurrent-combinationoriginal-combinationstatus-novumcomb.-nov.syn.-nov.sp.-nov.gen.-nov.subgen.-nov.subsp.-nov.nom.-nov.nom.-nud.nom.-dub.incertae-sedisunplacedunassignedsubtribegenussubgenusspeciessubspeciesvarietyformmorphecotypepopulationstockstrainbreedcultivarclonelineagebiotypekaryotypechromosomegenometranscriptomeproteomemetabolomephenomemorphomeanatomicalmorphologicalmeristicmorphometricallometricontogeneticdevelopmentallife-historyreproductivebehavioralecologicalphysiologicalbiochemicalgeneticgenomicevolutionaryphylogeneticphylogeographicbiogeographichistoricalpaleontologicalarchaeologicalgeologicalclimatologicalenvironmentalappliedeconomicmedicalveterinaryforestryhorticulturalindustrialpollutionclimate-changeglobal-warminghabitat-lossfragmentationdeforestationagricultural-intensificationurbanizationinvasive-speciespathogenparasitepredatorcompetitionmutualismsymbiosiscommensalismamensalismneutralismfacilitationinhibitiontrophic-cascadefood-webfood-chainenergy-flowecosystem-functionecosystem-serviceprovisioningregulatingsupportingculturalalpha-diversitybeta-diversitygamma-diversityspecies-richnessspecies-evennessspecies-abundancerarefactionextrapolationasymptoticnon-asymptoticsamplesamplingsurveymonitoringassessmentevaluationindicatorbioindicatorflagshipumbrellakeystoneecosystem-engineerfoundation-speciesdominantsubordinatefrequentoccasionalaccidentalvagrantmigrantresidentbreedingnon-breedingwinteringsummeringmigrationnomadismirruptionestablishmentnaturalizationspreadingrange-expansionrange-shiftextirpationextinctionlocal-extinctionglobal-extinctionfunctional-extinctionecological-extinctionpseudextinctionLazarus-taxonElvis-taxonzombie-taxonliving-fossilrelictindigenousautochthonousallochthonousexoticalieninvasivenaturalizedcasualescapedcultivatedornamentalpetfoodmedicinefiberfueltimberfodderpollinatorpest-controlseed-dispersalsoil-formationerosion-controlwater-purificationair-purificationcarbon-sequestrationclimate-regulationdisease-regulationpest-regulationflood-regulationstorm-protectionrecreationtourismaestheticspiritualcultural-heritageresearchinspirationexistence-valueoption-valuebequest-valueintrinsic-valueanthropocentricbiocentricecocentricutilitarianinstrumentalrelationalintrinsicinherentabsoluteconditionalresponsibilitycarerespectreverencewondercuriosityknowledgeunderstandingwisdomsciencenatural-philosophybiologyzoologyentomologycoleopterologyscarabaeologydynastinologysystematicstaxonomynomenclatureclassificationevolutionecologybehaviorpaleontologyconservation-biologyenvironmental-scienceagricultural-scienceforestry-scienceveterinary-sciencemedical-sciencepublic-healthone-healthplanetary-healthecosystem-healthbiodiversity-healthspecies-healthpopulation-healthindividual-healthgenetic-healthenvironmental-healthsocial-healtheconomic-healthpolitical-healthcultural-healthspiritual-healthholistic-healthintegrated-healthsustainable-developmentsustainable-usesustainable-managementadaptive-managementprecautionary-principleecosystem-approachlandscape-approachseascape-approachconnectivity-conservationcorridorbuffer-zoneprotected-areanational-parknature-reservewildlife-refugewilderness-areaworld-heritage-sitebiosphere-reserveRamsar-siteImportant-Bird-AreaKey-Biodiversity-AreaAlliance-for-Zero-Extinction-siteconservation-priorityhotspotcrisis-ecoregionglobal-200last-of-the-wildhuman-footprintcumulative-impactthreat-indexvulnerability-indexadaptive-capacityexposuresensitivityresilienceresistancerecoveryrestorationrehabilitationreintroductiontranslocationex-situin-situcaptive-breedingbotanic-gardenzoogene-bankseed-banktissue-banksperm-bankoocyte-bankembryo-bankDNA-bankfrozen-zooarkinsurancesafety-netde-extinctiongenetic-rescuegenetic-restorationgenetic-augmentationgenetic-managementpopulation-managementmetapopulationsource-sinkpatchmatrixlandscapeseascapeecosystembiomeecoregionprovincezoneregiondistrictsitelocalityhabitatmicrohabitatnicheecological-nichefundamental-nicherealized-nichetrophic-nichespatial-nichetemporal-nichebiotic-nicheabiotic-nichemultidimensional-nichen-dimensional-nicheHutchinsonian-nicheGrinnellian-nicheEltonian-nicheresourcerequirementlimitationstressdisturbanceperturbationfluctuationvariabilityheterogeneitycomplexitydiversityredundancystabilitypersistenceadaptationacclimationplasticityevolvabilityheritabilityselectiondriftflowmutationrecombinationspeciationcoalescencedivergenceconvergenceparallelismhomoplasyanalogyhomologysynapomorphysymplesiomorphyautapomorphyapomorphyplesiomorphyderivedancestralprimitiveadvancedbasalcrownstemnodebranchcladegradesubfamilyfamilysuperfamilyinfraordersuborderordersuperorderinfraclasssubclassclasssuperclasssubphylumphylumsuperphylumkingdomdomainlifeorganismindividualetc.Phylocentropus
Phylocentropus is a genus of caddisflies (order Trichoptera) in the family Dipseudopsidae, containing approximately 17 described extant species. The genus was established by Nathan Banks in 1907. Fossil species have been documented from Lebanese amber (Barremian, Early Cretaceous) and New Jersey amber (Turonian, Late Cretaceous), indicating a long evolutionary history. Members of this genus are part of the subfamily Hyalopsychinae.
Podura
Podura is a genus of springtails (Collembola) constituting the sole genus of the family Poduridae and superfamily Poduroidea. The genus contains four described species, including the widespread Podura aquatica and two fossil species from Baltic amber. Members are characterized by their stout body form and are among the more morphologically distinct springtail lineages.
Priacma
Priacma is a genus of reticulated beetles (family Cupedidae) containing one extant species, Priacma serrata, found in western North America. The genus also includes fossil species, notably P. megapuncta from Cenomanian-aged Burmese amber. Priacma represents one of the few surviving lineages of the once-diverse Archostemata, an ancient suborder of beetles. The genus was established by J. L. LeConte in 1874.
Prionoglarididae
Large-winged Barklice
Prionoglarididae is a family of small, winged insects in the order Psocodea, commonly known as barklice or booklice. The family contains approximately 9 genera and over 20 described species distributed across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Members are characterized by reduced or simplified lacinia (mouthpart structures) in adults and highly specialized male genitalia. The genus Neotrogla is notable for exhibiting sex-reversed genitalia, with females possessing an intromittent organ (termed a gynosome) and males having vagina-like structures. Most species inhabit cave environments.
Pristocerinae
Pristocerinae is a subfamily of Bethylidae, a family of parasitoid wasps. The group includes both extant and extinct species, with fossil evidence from Eocene Baltic amber. Members are characterized by reduced wing venation and sexual dimorphism between males and females. A notable fossil discovery from the Yantarny amber mine preserved a male and female specimen together, providing rare direct evidence of conspecific association in Hymenoptera.
Prostomis
Prostomis is a genus of beetles in the family Prostomidae, established by Latreille in 1819. The genus contains at least 28 accepted species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus are xylophilous (wood-associated) beetles with a documented fossil record extending to the mid-Holocene in Europe. The genus is considered rare in modern faunas, with some species no longer present in regions where they occurred historically.
Protorthoptera
Protorthoptera is an extinct order of Palaeozoic insects first appearing in the Middle Carboniferous (late Serpukhovian or early Bashkirian). It represents a paraphyletic assemblage of basal neopteran insects rather than a true monophyletic group. The order includes the ancestors of all other polyneopterous insects. Pronotal lobes in some forms were expanded to form a shield-like structure.
Pseudogarypidae
Pseudogarypid Pseudoscorpions
Pseudogarypidae is a small family of pseudoscorpions within the superfamily Feaelloidea. The family comprises two extant genera—Pseudogarypus and Neopseudogarypus—with most recent species distributed in western North America. A single extant species, Neopseudogarypus scutellatus, is endemic to Tasmania, representing a notable disjunct distribution. The family also includes several fossil species preserved in Baltic amber from the Eocene.
Pseudoscorpiones
pseudoscorpions, false scorpions, book scorpions
Pseudoscorpions are tiny arachnids, most under 5 mm in length, superficially resembling scorpions but lacking a stinger and elongated tail. They are among the oldest terrestrial colonizers, with fossils dating to the Middle Devonian (ca. 390 million years ago). Despite their ancient lineage, they exhibit remarkable morphological stasis, with even Devonian fossils appearing modern. Most species inhabit concealed microhabitats such as beneath bark, in leaf litter, soil, caves, or mammal nests, making them seldom encountered despite being fairly common. They are predatory, seizing small invertebrate prey with venomous pincer-like pedipalps.
Raglius
dirt-colored seed bugs
Raglius is a genus of dirt-colored seed bugs in the family Rhyparochromidae, established by Stål in 1872. The genus comprises approximately 11 described species, including three extinct species known from Eocene fossils. Species within this genus are distributed across Europe and parts of Asia, with records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden confirmed. The genus is part of the tribe Rhyparochromini within the subfamily Rhyparochrominae.
Rhopalosomatidae
Rhopalosomatid Wasps
Rhopalosomatidae is a small family of aculeate wasps containing approximately 68 extant species in four genera: Rhopalosoma, Olixon, Liosphex, and Paniscomima. Adults are solitary and often ant-like in appearance. Larvae are obligate ectoparasitoids of crickets (Orthoptera: Grylloidea), attaching to the lateral side of the host between the metafemur and abdomen. The family exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, with winged species typically nocturnal and brachypterous species mainly diurnal. The family has a worldwide tropical and subtropical distribution, absent from Europe and Antarctica.
Roproniidae
Roproniidae is a family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. The family contains only two extant genera, *Ropronia* and *Xiphyropronia*, with the remainder known from fossils dating from the Jurassic to Paleocene. Extant species occur in Eurasia and North America. At least some living species parasitize larvae of tenthredinid sawflies.
Schizopodidae
False Jewel Beetles
Schizopodidae is a small family of beetles in the superfamily Buprestoidea, suborder Polyphaga. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Buprestidae, it was elevated to family status in 1991. The family contains five genera, including two extinct genera known from Baltic amber (Eocene) and the Yixian Formation of China (Early Cretaceous). Adults are often found clinging to vegetation, though detailed biological information remains sparse.
Sclerosomatidae
Sclerosomatid Harvestmen
Sclerosomatidae is a large family of harvestmen (Opiliones) comprising approximately 1,300 described species. The family is characterized by a hardened body structure, reflected in its name derived from Greek skleros ('hard') and soma ('body'). Members exhibit the classic 'daddy long legs' morphology with small, rounded bodies and long, slender legs. The family includes several subfamilies—Gagrellinae, Gyantinae, Leiobuninae, and Sclerosomatinae—distributed across diverse habitats worldwide. Some species display iridescent metallic coloration, particularly in tropical lineages. A former subfamily has been removed to form the separate family Globipedidae.
Scutigerella
garden symphylans, garden centipedes (misapplied)
Scutigerella is a genus of symphylans (class Symphyla) established by John A. Ryder in 1882, with S. immaculata as the type species. It is the second-largest genus in the family Scutigerellidae, comprising at least 35 extant species plus two fossil species preserved in amber. Species range from 3.5 to 9 mm in length and are characterized by a heart-shaped head with spiracles on the anterior surface, 20–50 segmented antennae, 15 tergites with notched posterior margins, and 12 pairs of legs. The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution centered in northern temperate zones, with introduced populations in Australasia and Oceania.
Sejidae
Sejidae is a family of mites within the order Mesostigmata. The group has a fossil record extending to the mid Cretaceous, with the oldest known specimen being an indeterminate deutonymph preserved in Burmese amber from Myanmar. As a family-level taxon, it encompasses multiple genera of predatory or free-living mites, though specific biological details for the family as a whole remain limited in available literature.
Seroloidea
Seroloidea is a superfamily of marine isopod crustaceans within the suborder Sphaeromatidea. It comprises six families, four of which are extant and two extinct. The superfamily was established by Dana in 1852. Seroloidea is distinguished from other sphaeromatidean superfamilies by unique morphological characteristics of its constituent families, particularly the Serolidae.
Smarididae
Smarididae is a family of large predatory mites in the order Trombidiformes. Members possess elongated oval bodies with a distinctive pointed anterior, dense setation, and often striking red coloration. The family includes exceptionally large species, with the Cretaceous fossil *Immensmaris chewbaccei* representing the largest known erythraeoid mite at over 8 mm in length. These active predators are part of the superfamily Erythraeoidea, characterized by their slender, sometimes elongated legs and reduced eye number (one or two pairs).
Synneuron
Synneuron is a rare genus of flies in the family Canthyloscelidae, with four extant species distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus has an exceptional fossil record extending back to the Lower Cretaceous (ca. 125 Ma), with specimens from Australia and the Eocene of North America, supporting its status as a true Pangean clade that survived major vegetation transitions from gymnosperm to angiosperm dominance. Its ancient origins and relictual modern distribution make it significant for understanding dipteran biogeography and the impact of Cretaceous floral turnover on insect lineages.
Toxorhina
Toxorhina is a genus of crane flies in the family Limoniidae comprising over 150 extant species across three subgenera: Ceratocheilus, Eutoxorhina, and Toxorhina. The genus is distinguished by an elongate rostrum and reduced wing venation compared to other crane flies. Members have been recorded from tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with fossil evidence extending the stratigraphic range to the Eocene. The genus shows its highest diversity in tropical zones, particularly in the Oriental and Afrotropical regions.
Vicelva
Vicelva is an extant genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Phloeocharinae) described in 1973. A fossil species, V. rasilis, from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber provides the earliest known record of the genus. Extant species occur in western North America, the Russian Far East, and Kazakhstan. The biology of living species remains poorly documented.