Li Haolun, Chang Huali, Muona Jyrki, Zhao Yanchen, Ren Dong
College of Life Sciences and Academy for Multidisciplinary Studies, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuanbeilu 105, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China.
Henan Geological Museum, Jinshuidonglu 18, Zhengdongxin Dsitrict, Zhengzhou 450016, China.
Insects. 2021 Jan 26;12(2):105. doi: 10.3390/insects12020105.
new genus, type species new species (Eucnemidae, Anischiinae) is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Liaoning, China. The presence of this species in early Cretaceous deposits provides new insight into the evolution of basal lignicolous Eucnemidae clades. Both Anischiinae and Palaeoxeninae species diversified in a world dominated by gymnosperms, before the main radiation of angiosperms. More than 95% of modern eucnemid larvae have a -type highly modified head structure, but contrary to the larva, they develop in angiosperm wood. Anischiinae utilize angiosperms as well, but their head capsule shows no such modifications. These facts prove that highly specialized morphological features do not offer definite proof of similar way of life in the distant past, nor should non-modified structures be taken as proof for another kind of substrate choice. Eucnemidae have invaded angiosperms with two quite different morphological adaptations. This fact may have implications for the evolution of all clicking elateroids.
新属、模式种新物种（拟花萤科，异花萤亚科）是在中国辽宁下白垩统被描述的。该物种在早白垩世沉积中的出现为基部木生拟花萤科类群的演化提供了新的见解。异花萤亚科和古花萤亚科物种在被子植物主要辐射演化之前，在以裸子植物为主导的世界中实现了多样化。超过95%的现代拟花萤幼虫具有α型高度特化的头部结构，但与该幼虫不同的是，它们在被子植物木材中发育。异花萤亚科也利用被子植物，但其头壳没有这种特化。这些事实证明，高度特化的形态特征并不能确凿证明在遥远过去有相似的生活方式，未特化的结构也不应被视为另一种底物选择的证据。拟花萤科通过两种截然不同的形态适应侵入了被子植物。这一事实可能对所有叩甲类昆虫的演化有启示意义。
