The first fossil Discolomatidae (Coleoptera) from Hispaniola

摘要

Discolomatidae are a small beetle family distributed in subtropical to tropical ecosystems. Many of the modern members of the genus Fallia Sharp inhabit Central America while some species occur on Hispaniola, the Galapagos Islands, and the Hawaiian islands. A new fossil species belonging to the same genus, F. palaeodominicana sp. nov., has been found in a piece of Dominican amber, and described as the first fossil member of the family. The presence of extant as well as extinct species of Fallia on Hispaniola provokes questions about the age and origin of the genus Fallia and how long ago it settled Hispaniola.