Notocupes


Notocupes is an extinct genus of medium-sized archostematan beetles from the Mesozoic Era of Eurasia, including over 50 described species. Historically, the genus was classified as a member of the family Ommatidae, but the presence of characters such as the horizontal mandibular cutting edge, separated procoxae and overlapping abdominal sternites indicate that the genus may have a closer affinity with the family Cupedidae. Notocupes is considered to be a junior synonym of Zygadenia by Kirejtshuk, but other researchers suggest to reserve the genus Zygadenia as a form taxon for isolated elytra that probably belong to the genus Notocupes, while retaining Notocupes as a valid genus for complete body fossils. Most species of Notocupes were described from compression fossils. An additional three species were described from Cenomanian-aged Burmese amber, which were treated as a separate genus, Echinocups, by Kirejtshuk, but Li et al. consider Echinocups to be a junior synonym of Notocupes. Notocupes has a flattened body, which may suggest that it occupied narrow habitats, such as living under bark. Some species had serrated/spined margins of the carapace, which may have served as a defense against predators, or served as camouflage to resemble bark.
Strelnikova & Yan advise splitting up the genus Notocupes into four genera: Notocupes, Rhabdocupes, Conexicoxa and the new genus Brachilatus.

Triassic species

[Ladinian] (242 Ma to ~237 Ma)

; Tongchuan Formation, China
  • ''N. shiluoensis''

[Carnian] (237 Ma to 227 Ma)

;Koldzat Formation, KazakhstanN. oxypygus
;Madygen Formation, KyrgyzstanN. laticella N. rostratus
  • ''N. tenuis''

Jurassic species

[Hettangian] (201.3 Ma to 199.3 Ma)

;Dzhil Formation, KyrgyzstanN. cellulosus N. issykkulensis N. kirghizicus N. latus N. sogutensis
;Guanyintan Formation, China
  • ''N. homorus''

[Toarcian] (182.7 Ma to 174.1 Ma)

;Guanyintan Formation, ChinaN. lini
;Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan
  • ''N. crassus''

[Bajocian] (170.3 Ma to 168.3 Ma)

;Bakhar Formation, MongoliaN. brachycephalus N. exiguus
  • ''N. longicollis''

[Callovian] (166.1 Ma to 163.5 Ma)

;Haifanggou Formation, ChinaN. daohugouensis N. dischides N. jurassicus N. pingi N. robustus N. spinosus
;Tyumen Formation, Russia
  • ''N. patulus''

Oxfordian">Oxfordian (stage)">Oxfordian (163.5 Ma to 157.3 Ma)

;Karabastau Formation, KazakhstanN. foersteri N. lapidarius N. nigromonticola N. picturatus
  • ''N. pulcher''

[Tithonian] (152.1 Ma To 145.0 Ma)

;Shar Teeg, MongoliaN. brachycephalus N. exiguus
;Solnhofen, GermanyN. reticulatus
  • ''N. tripartitus''

Cretaceous species

[Hauterivian] (132.9 Ma to 129.4 Ma)

;Dabeigou Formation, China
  • ''N. lentus''

[Barremian] (129.4 Ma to 125.0 Ma)

;Jianshangou Formation, ChinaN. laetus
;La Huérguina Formation, Las Hoyas, SpainN. diazromerali N. longicoxa N. siniestri N. viridis
;La Pedrera de Rúbies Formation, Spain N. martinclosas N. oculatus
;Ulan-Argalant Formation, Mongolia
  • ''N. mongolicus''

[Aptian] (125.0 to ~113.0 Ma)

;Argun Formation, RussiaN. semen N. sibiricus
;Baojiatun Formation, ChinaN. baojiatunensis
;Dzun-Bain Formation, MongoliaN. dundulaensis N. elegans
;Jehol Group, ChinaN. validus
;Khasurty Formation, Russia N. khasurtyiensis
;Laiyang Formation, ChinaN. laiyangensis N. ludongensis N. tuanwangensis
;Shahai Formation, ChinaN. kezuoensis
;Yixian Formation, ChinaN. alienus N. cyclodontus N. epicharis N. eumeurus N. minisculus N. porrectus N. protensus N. psilatus N. rudis N. stabilis
;Zaza Formation, RussiaN. caudatus N. excellens
  • ''N. vitimensis''

[Albian] (~113.0 to 100.5 Ma)

;Jinju Formation, South Korea
  • ''N. premeris''

[Cenomanian] (100.5 to 93.9 Ma)

;Burmese amber, MyanmarN. denticollis N. neli
  • ''N. ohmkuhnlei''

[Turonian] (93.9 to 89.8 Ma)

;Emanra Formation, RussiaN. khetanensis
;Kzyl-Zhar Locality, Kazakhstan
  • ''N. caducus''