Meligethiella Medvedev, 1969

Kolibac, Jiri, 2013, Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys, ZooKeys 366, pp. 1-194 : 139-140

† Genus Meligethiella Medvedev, 1969

Nitidulidae Medvedev, L. N. 1969: 119 ().

Type species.

Meligethiella soroniiformis Medvedev, 1969 (by monotypy and original designation)

Kireichuk, A. G. & Ponomarenko, A. G. 1990: 81 ( Peltidae : Meligethiellinae ). Kolibáč, J. 2006: 126 ( Thymalini ). Ponomarenko, A. G. & Kireichuk, A. G. 2005-2008: http://www.zin.ru/animalia/Coleoptera/rus/paleosy2.htm. Schmied, H. et al. 2009: 25

Remarks.

The genus was originally described in Nitidulidae ( Medvedev 1969) and latter shifted to Peltidae by Kireichuk and Ponomarenko (1990) in the new extinct subfamily Meligethiellinae along with the genera Juralithinus and Ostomalynus . I accepted the classification within Trogossitidae : Peltinae . However, I synonymized Meligethiellinae and moved all three genera into the extant Thymalini ( Kolibáč 2006). After more careful examination of their descriptions and original illustration, I found the classification of Meligethiella and Ostomalynus within Trogossitidae or even Cleroidea hardly possible while Juralithinus characters are fully compatible with the definition of Peltinae . The most important characters that exclude Meligethiella from Trogossitidae are (1) widely separated mesocoxae, especially in combination with (2) irregularly punctate elytra and (3) groove for prosternal process in mesosternum.

Original description of the genus

(translation from Russian). " Diagnosis: Body broadly oval, head not distinctly retracted into pronotum, pronotum just about narrower than elytra, 3-4 times shorter than elytra, middle coxae widely separated; mesothorax with groove for apex of prosternal process; elytra perfectly cover abdominal apex, smooth or with irregular punctation; femoral lines in metathorax [paracoxal sutures?] mostly well-developed; first visible abdominal sternite longer than following one. [Measurements 3.7-4.7 mm.]"

Distribution.

Russia: Bouriatskaya Autonomnaya Respublika; W Transbaikalia - Chitinskaya oblast; Kazakhstan: Chimkentskaya oblast, Baissa. Mesozoic: Late Jurassic: Karabastayskaya formation; Lower Cretaceous: Turginskaya formation; middle Neocomian: Zazinskaya formation.

Species:

† Meligethiella glabra Kireichuk & Ponomarenko, 1990; Russia: Transbaikalia, Chitinskaya obl.; Lower Cretaceous, Turginskaya formation (varA)

Kireichuk, A. G. & Ponomarenko, A. G. 1990: 82. Ponomarenko, A. G. & Kireichuk, A. G. 2005-2008: http://www.zin.ru/animalia/Coleoptera/rus/paleosy2.htm. Schmied, H. et al. 2009: 25

† Meligethiella kovalevi Kireichuk & Ponomarenko, 1990; Kazakhstan: Chimkentskaya obl.; Late Jurassic: Karabastayskaya formation (varA)

Kireichuk, A. G. & Ponomarenko, A. G. 1990: 81. Ponomarenko, A. G. & Kireichuk, A. G. 2005-2008: http://www.zin.ru/animalia/Coleoptera/rus/paleosy2.htm. Schmied, H. et al. 2009: 25

† Meligethiella soroniiformis Medvedev, 1969; Russia: Bouriatskaya Autonom. Rep., Baissa; Lower Cretaceous: Zazinskaya formation (varA)

Kireichuk, A. G. & Ponomarenko, A. G. 1990: 81. Medvedev, L. N. 1969: 120. Ponomarenko, A. G. & Kireichuk, A. G. 2005-2008: http://www.zin.ru/animalia/Coleoptera/rus/paleosy2.htm. Schmied, H. et al. 2009: 25