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, Kazakhstan
  • N. oxypygus
;Madygen Formation, Kyrgyzstan
  • N. laticella
  • N. rostratus
  • ''N. tenuis''

    Jurassic species

[Hettangian] (201.3 Ma to 199.3 Ma)

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

    [Toarcian] (182.7 Ma to 174.1 Ma)

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

    [Bajocian] (170.3 Ma to 168.3 Ma)

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

    [Callovian] (166.1 Ma to 163.5 Ma)

;Haifanggou Formation, China
  • N. 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, Kazakhstan
  • N. foersteri
  • N. lapidarius
  • N. nigromonticola
  • N. picturatus
  • ''N. pulcher''

    [Tithonian] (152.1 Ma To 145.0 Ma)

;Shar Teeg, Mongolia
  • N. brachycephalus
  • N. exiguus
;Solnhofen, Germany
  • N. reticulatus
  • ''N. tripartitus''

    Cretaceous species

[Hauterivian] (132.9 Ma to 129.4 Ma)

;Dabeigou Formation, China
;Jianshangou Formation, China
  • N. laetus
;La Huérguina Formation, Las Hoyas, Spain
  • N. 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, Russia
  • N. semen
  • N. sibiricus
;Baojiatun Formation, China
  • N. baojiatunensis
;Dzun-Bain Formation, Mongolia
  • N. dundulaensis
  • N. elegans
;Jehol Group, China
  • N. validus
;Khasurty Formation, Russia
  • N. khasurtyiensis
;Laiyang Formation, China
  • N. laiyangensis
  • N. ludongensis
  • N. tuanwangensis
;Shahai Formation, China
  • N. kezuoensis
;Yixian Formation, China
  • N. alienus
  • N. cyclodontus
  • N. epicharis
  • N. eumeurus
  • N. minisculus
  • N. porrectus
  • N. protensus
  • N. psilatus
  • N. rudis
  • N. stabilis
;Zaza Formation, Russia
  • N. caudatus
  • N. excellens
  • ''N. vitimensis''

    [Albian] (~113.0 to 100.5 Ma)

;Jinju Formation, South Korea
;Burmese amber, Myanmar
  • N. denticollis
  • N. neli
  • ''N. ohmkuhnlei''

    [Turonian] (93.9 to 89.8 Ma)

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