Mesophyletidae is an extinct family of

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the Taxonomic rank, superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than in length, and Herbivore, herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They b ...

s known from a number of genera preserved in

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In Ma ...

. The family was first described as a subfamily in the

extant Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to: * Extant hereditary titles * Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English * Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...

family

Caridae Caridae is a small Gondwanan family of weevils. They are considered part of the primitive weevil group, because they have straight rather than geniculate (elbowed) antennae. The insertion of the antennae on the rostrum cannot be seen from above. ...

, and subsequently raised to family status in 2018.

Distribution and paleoecology

The family is known exclusively from fossils preserved in Burmese amber, and combined with the Nemonychidae genera, the Burmese amber fauna is considered one of the richest weevil faunas of the Mesozoic, rivaling Kazakhstan's late Jurassic site at Karatau. The Burmese amber fossils preserve more detail than the compression fossils from Karatau. The amber paleoforest was tropical in temperature, and situated along the tidal boundary of a coastal estuary. The resin from which the amber originated is most likely araucarian, based on both inclusions of wood fragments and spectroscopic analysis. Based on the elongated rostrum, antennae, and ovipositor structures; species in mesophyletidae were likely specialized herbivores which predated seeds and plant ovules in manners similar to that of the living Anthonomini, Curculionini, and related curculionid tribes. The legs are modified with elongated tarsi sporting large claws and

tibia The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...

with strengthening ridges and a flattened or flared profile. These adaptations indicate an arboreal life of climbing on smooth or flimsy plant organs such as leaves and fruits. Additionally the elytra did not lock along the tips, and are loose to the pygidium which would allow for quick transition to flight, something the group was likely proficient at. They have enlarged eyes composed of coarse facets protruding on their heads, a feature seen in many weevil groups that spend their lives in dark canopies or in leaf litter.

History and classification

'' Mesophyletis'' was the first genus of the group to be described, with its type description being published in 2006. The genus was placed into the family " Eccoptarthridae", an older name sometimes used for

, as the one of the genera in then subfamily Mesophyletinae by

George Poinar Jr. George O. Poinar Jr. (born April 25, 1936) is an American entomologist and writer. He is known for popularizing the idea of extracting DNA from insects fossilized in amber, an idea which received widespread attention when adapted by Michael Cr ...

However, in the 2006 paper, no type genus was specified in the subfamily description and a subsequent paper in 2008 specified ''Mesophyletis'' as the type genus. The subfamily Aepyceratinae was proposed in 2017 as a part of the family Nemonychidae based on perceived similarities between '' Aepyceratus hyperochus'' and the nemonychids. The 2018 monograph on Burmese amber weevils expanded the group notably, and raised it to a full family, with two defined subfamilies, Aepyceratinae and Mesophyletinae. An additional five genera were described as part of Aepyceratinae, based on the structuring of the antennae, though the 2018 authors note that there are no other indications that the grouping is monophyletic.

Subfamilies and genera

Rhynchitomimus chalybeus holotype Fig1 B

up'' Nugatorhinus albomaculatus'' holotype *Aepyceratinae Poinar, Brown, & Legalov, 2017 **'' Acalyptopygus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **'' Aepyceratus'' Poinar, Brown, & Legalov, 2017 **'' Burmophyletis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2019 (syn "''Platychirus''" Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018) **'' Calyptocis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **'' Nugatorhinus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **'' Rhynchitomimus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 *Mesophyletinae Poinar, 2008 (syn: Anchineini Poinar & Legalov, 2015; Burmocorynini Legalov, 2018; Mekorhamphini Poinar, Brown & Legalov, 2016) **'' Anchineus'' Poinar & Brown, 2009 **''Aphelonyssus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Bowangius'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Burmocorynus'' Legalov, 2018 **''Burmorhinus'' Legalov, 2017 **''Cetionyx'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Compsopsarus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Cyrtocis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Debbia'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Echogomphus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Electrocis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Euryepomus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Gnomus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Habropezus'' Poinar, Brown, & Legalov, 2016 **''Hukawngius'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Leptopezus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Louwiocis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Mekorhamphus'' Poinar, Brown, & Legalov, 2016 **'' Mesophyletis'' Poinar, 2006 **''Myanmarus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Ocriocis'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Opeatorhynchus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Periosocerus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Petalotarsus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Rhadinomycter'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018 **''Zimmiorhinus'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2019 (syn: ''"Elwoodius"'' Clarke & Oberprieler, 2018)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q96392711 Burmese amber Weevils Prehistoric insect families