Living fossils among aquatic beetles: fossil record and phylogeny of the Helophoridae (Coleoptera: Hydrophiloidea)

Abstract

Based on the study of the recent representatives of the family Helophoridae, we have defined important diagnostic and phylogenetically informative characters whose evaluation in fossil record allowed to understand the fossil history of the family. The Helophoridae date back to the late Jurassic when an extinct genus Hydrophilopsia have lived.

The recent genus Helophorus dates back at least to the early Cretaceous.

Keywords

• fossil record
• phylogeny
• Helophoridae
• Coleoptera
• Hydrophiloidea