Diochus electrus
Encyclopedia
Diochus electrus is an extinct species
of rove beetle
in genus Diochus, the only definitive fossil species in subfamily Staphylininae
. The species is known only from the middle Eocene, Lutetian stage
Baltic amber found in the Blaue Erde deposits, Baltic region
, Northern Europe
.
located in Lawrence, Kansas
, USA. Diochus electrus was first studied by Stylianos Chatzimanolis of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
and Michael S. Engel
of the University of Kansas. Their 2011 type description for the new species was published online and in print in the journal ZooKeys
. The etymology
of the specific name
electrus is a derivation of the Latin
word "electrum" meaning amber.
When Diochus electrus was described, it was the first definitive species of the rove beetle subfamily Staphylininae to be described from the fossil record. The Baltic amber species Bembicidiodes inaequicollis, described by L. W. Schaufuss in 1888, was formerly considered part of Staphylininae. However reevaluation of the species in 2001 by L.H. Herman raised doubts about the correct subfamily placement for B. inaequicollis. Diochus electrus is one of eleven species of the genus Diochus inhabiting the Palearctic ecozone.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of rove beetle
Rove beetle
The rove beetles are a large family of beetles, primarily distinguished by their short elytra that leave more than half of their abdomens exposed. With over 46,000 species in thousands of genera, the group is the second largest family of beetles after the Curculionidae...
in genus Diochus, the only definitive fossil species in subfamily Staphylininae
Staphylininae
Staphylininae are a subfamily of rove beetles . They contain the typical rove beetles with their long but fairly robust blunt-headed and -tipped bodies and short elytra, as well as some more unusually-shaped lineages.-Systematics:...
. The species is known only from the middle Eocene, Lutetian stage
Lutetian
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between and . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene subepoch...
Baltic amber found in the Blaue Erde deposits, Baltic region
Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.- Etymology :...
, Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
.
History and classification
Diochus electrus is known only from one fossil, the holotype, number "KU-NHM-ENT, B-244". It is a single complete adult female preserved as an inclusion in a specimen of clear orange amber. The fossil was recovered from an outcrop of the Blaue Erde deposits which contain the fossil resins in the Baltic region. The type specimen is currently preserved in the Division of Entomology at the University of Kansas Natural History MuseumUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
located in Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, USA. Diochus electrus was first studied by Stylianos Chatzimanolis of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
and Michael S. Engel
Michael S. Engel
Michael S. Engel is an American paleontologist and entomologist. He has undertaken field work in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Western Hemisphere, and published more than 300 papers in scientific journals. He was trained at the University of Kansas where in 1993 he received a B.S. in Cellular...
of the University of Kansas. Their 2011 type description for the new species was published online and in print in the journal ZooKeys
ZooKeys
ZooKeys is a peer-reviewed open access academic journal for the field of zoology. It was established in 2008, and the editor-in-chief is Terry Erwin from the Smithsonian Institution...
. The etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
of the specific name
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
electrus is a derivation of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word "electrum" meaning amber.
When Diochus electrus was described, it was the first definitive species of the rove beetle subfamily Staphylininae to be described from the fossil record. The Baltic amber species Bembicidiodes inaequicollis, described by L. W. Schaufuss in 1888, was formerly considered part of Staphylininae. However reevaluation of the species in 2001 by L.H. Herman raised doubts about the correct subfamily placement for B. inaequicollis. Diochus electrus is one of eleven species of the genus Diochus inhabiting the Palearctic ecozone.