Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Abstract

Nine fossil beetles and seven fossil brood balls made by dung beetles are described from Laetoli (Pliocene). Seven beetles are Tenebrionidae, tribes Tentyriini and Molurini, one is a June beetle of the tribe Schizonychini (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) and one a rhinoceros beetle (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) described as Calcitoryctes magnificus sp.n. Seven fossil dung beetle brood balls are described as Coprinisphaera laetoliensis ichnosp. n. and C. ndolanyanus ichnosp. n., the first formally described scarab ichnofossils from Africa. Two specimens of C. laetoliensis show the largest known traces of kleptoparasites described as Lazaichnus amplus ichnosp. n. The fossil beetles and brood balls of Laetoli weakly indicate a grassland, rather than a dense woodland habitat.