Abstract
A new genus and species of a staphylinid beetle, Afrinophilina
orapa gen. et sp. n., is described using a single well-preserved
compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, the
Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Afrinophilina is placed in the
extant subfamily Paederinae based on concealed antennal insertions, and
hypomeron with a well-developed post-coxal process. It is placed among
the Pinophilini based on an elongated procoxae (as long as the
profemora), broad, oval, fully exposed trochantin, and a conspicuous
second abdominal segment. The new species is placed in the Pinophilina,
rather than the Procirrina, based on the presence of well-preserved pair
of paratergites on segments III-VIII. Characters which may distinguish
this new species from other Pinophilina include the lack of an
emarginate shape of the rear margins of the elytra, broad neck, and
having two pairs of paratergites on each side of segments III-VI. This
is the earliest occurrence of a member of the Pinophilina. It is the
first member of the Pinophilina from the Southern Hemisphere,
particularly the African continent. Similarly, compared to other fossil
staphylinids, the fossil also portrays morphological stasis dating back
to the Cretaceous, thereby suggesting a punctuated equilibrium pattern
of evolution.