From Priabonian to Selandian: a new species of Eocenostenus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Steninae) from the Paleocene Menat Formation of France

Abstract

A new species of the extinct genus Eocenostenus Cai, Clarke, Huang & Nel, 2014, is described from the middle Paleocene (Selandian) of Menat (France). Eocenostenus vanja sp. nov. is the second known species of the genus, the first being Eocenostenus fossilis Cai et al., 2014 described from the late Eocene (Priabonian) of Monteils, France. The discovery of E. vanja has implications for our understanding of the evolution of Eocenostenus because it pushes back the origin of the genus by several tens of millions of years (i.e., from the Priabonian to the Selandian). Additionally, it possibly sheds light on the cuticular colouration of this genus, which is putatively similar to some extant Steninae, particularly those from the tropical regions of the world. An updated checklist of fossil Steninae is provided.