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The click beetles (Elateridae) originated in the Mesozoic and recently form a relatively large family with approximately 10,000 described species worldwide. However, the Mesozoic, and particularly Cretaceous, click beetle fauna remains very poorly known. Here we describe Burmogonus cretaceus gen. et sp. nov. based on a single, relatively well-preserved, specimen from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. This species can be assigned with confidence to the subfamily Elaterinae, and based on the supra-antennal carinae being incomplete across the head and directed to the labrum, the shape of metacoxal plates, and simple tarsi, we tentatively place it in the tribe Elaterini. We discuss the morphology of a new genus and other Elaterinae described from Burmese amber.

The soft-bodied click-beetle genus Malacogaster Bassi, 1834 from the Mediterranean region has never been taxonomically revised to date. Information on its morphology, intra- and interspecific variability, systematics and distribution is fragmented and most species have not been properly studied since their description. Therefore, in this study we summarize all available information on the genus Malacogaster. Altogether, we recognize 10 valid species from the area including the Canary Islands, Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, northern coast of Africa, Sardinia, and Sicily. Malacogaster ruficollis Dodero, 1925, stat. nov., which was originally described as a variety of M. bassii Lucas, 1870 and later synonymized with it, is considered a separate species. Malacogaster parallelocollis Reitter, 1894, syn. nov. and M. olcesei var. reductus Pic, 1951, syn. nov. are synonymized with M. maculiventris Reitter, 1894. Malacogaster notativentris Pic, 1951, syn. nov. and M. olcesei Pic, 1951, syn. nov. are synonymized with M. passerinii Bassi, 1834. Lectotypes are designated for M. maculiventris Reitter, 1894, M. nigripes heydeni Reitter, 1894, M. parallelocollis Reitter, 1894, M. thoracica Redtenbacher, 1858, M. olcesei Pic, 1951, and M. rubripes Peyerimhoff, 1949 to fix their identity.

A new species, Vetubrachypsectra huchengi Li, Kundrata & Cai sp. nov., is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber on the basis of a single adult female. The species is assigned to genus Vetubrachypsectra Qu & Cai based on its serrate antennae, long maxillary palps, presence of tibial spurs, and elytra without clear striae. Vetubrachypsectra huchengi differs distinctly from V. burmitica Qu & Cai, the only other species in the genus, in having the pedicel apically attached to the scape. Some other differences between the female of V. huchengi and the male of V. burmitica include less serrate antennae, a broader pronotal disc, a broader scutellar shield and smaller tibial spurs. However, at least some of these characters can be considered sexually dimorphic.

The morphology of the Jurassic fossil Archaeolus funestus Lin, 1986, which was previously placed in the extinct click-beetle subfamily Protagrypninae (Coleoptera: Elateridae), is revised based on a re-examination of the type specimen. The validity of Protagrypninae is discussed and further questioned, partly based on the newly observed characters in A. funestus, including the surface sculpture of the mesoventrite. A possible Throscidae affinity of monotypic Archaeolus Lin, 1986, as suggested in a recent study, is further critically reviewed.

Recent molecular studies have suggested that the clicking beetle families Elateridae, Eucnemidae, Throscidae, and Cerophytidae evolved in the Jurassic and diversified in the Cretaceous. These studies paid little attention to fossils, using them only as dating tools. The identification of Elateridae fossils is challenging, as external synapomorphies are not known for this family. Elateridae can be identified only as something not belonging to the other related families, all of which have diagnostic synapomorphies. Most subfamilies and tribes of Elateridae do possess definite diagnostic characters, however, making their identification feasible. We checked the 28 Elateridae described from Chinese Mesozoic deposits. Twelve were Elateridae, seven were Eucnemidae, and one was a Throscidae. Three species could be Eucnemidae, but showed aberrant characters. Five species could not be placed and may not belong to Elateroidea at all. On the basis of these results we suggest that all previously described Elateridae fossils should be re-checked. They should be searched for synapomorphies defining Eucnemidae, Throscidae, and Cerophytidae. If such characters are not present, a click beetle type of fossil can be placed in Elateroidae incertae sedis. The Mesozoic Chinese Elateridae fossils all belong to clades that do not exist today, whereas the Mesozoic Eucnemidae subfamilies are extant ones. This may be the source of the disagreement between Elateridae fossil age and datings based on molecular studies. One new combination was made: Desmatus ponomarenkoi (Chang, Kiretjshuk & Ren, 2009) NEW COMBINATION (= Paradesmatus ponomarenkoi Chang, Kirejtshuk & Ren, 2009).

Insect fossils bear important information about the evolutionary history of the group. The fossil record of Elateridae, a large cosmopolitan beetle family, has been greatly understudied and the available data are often replete with ambiguity and uncertainty. The research of Elateridae evolution cannot be done without solid genus-group name concepts. In this study we provide an updated comprehensive summary of the fossil genera in Elateridae, including their systematic placement and information on the type species, gender, number of species, age range, and relevant bibliography. We list seven valid fossil genera in Agrypninae, one in Cardiophorinae, two in Dendrometrinae, five in Elaterinae, two in Negastriinae, one in Omalisinae, one in Pityobiinae, and 36 in Protagrypninae. Additional 19 genera are tentatively classified as Elateridae incertae sedis, and their placements are discussed. Further, we move genera Babuskaya Martins-Neto & Gallego, 2009, Cardiosyne Martins-Neto & Gallego, 2006, Fengningia Hong, 1984 and Gemelina Martins-Neto & Gallego, 2006 from Elateridae to Coleoptera incertae sedis. We also discuss the genera previously placed in Elateridae, which are currently not included in the family. The data on the fossil generic diversity suggest that Elateridae originated in the Triassic and rapidly diversified and became comparatively abundant through the Jurassic. We call for further research on the fossil Elateridae from various deposits in order to increase our knowledge on the origin, evolution, and palaeodiversity of the group.

We synthesize the evidence from molecular phylogenetics, extant distribution, and plate tectonics to present an insight in ancestral areas, dispersal routes and the effectiveness of geographic barriers for net-winged beetle tribes (Coleoptera: Lycidae). Samples from all zoogeographical realms were assembled and phylogenetic relationships for ~550 species and 25 tribes were inferred using nuclear rRNA and mtDNA markers. The analyses revealed well-supported clades at the rank of tribes as they have been defined using morphology, but a low support for relationships among them. Most tribes started their diversification in Southeast and East Asia or are endemic to this region. Slipinskiini and Dexorini are Afrotropical endemics and Calopterini, Eurrhacini, Thonalmini, and Leptolycini remained isolated in South America and the Caribbean after their separation from northern continents. Lycini, Calochromini, and Erotini support relationships between the Nearctic and eastern Palearctic faunas; Calochromini colonized the Afrotropical realm from East Asia and Metriorrhynchini Afrotropical and Oriental realms from the drifting Indian subcontinent. Most tribes occur in the Oriental and Sino-Japanese realms, the highest alpha-taxonomic diversity was identified in Malesian tropical rainforests. The turn-over at zoogeographical boundaries is discussed when only short distance over-sea colonization events were inferred. The lycid phylogeny shows that poor dispersers can be used for reconstruction of dispersal and vicariance history over a long time-span, but the current data are insufficient for reconstruction of the early phase of their diversification.