International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 174-185 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmeb 176 Figure 1 Contents of coprolite fragment ZPAL AbIII/3520 (Adopted from Qvarnström et al., 2021) Image caption: (A) The coprolite rendered semi-transparent with inclusions, such as beetle remains and fibrous networks, representing fungal colonies or algae visible. Top corner: silhouette of Silesaurus opolensis, the most probable coprolite producer. (B-D) The holotype specimen of Triamyxa coprolithica in ventral (B), lateral (C), and dorsal (D) views. (E and F) The second complete specimen in ventral (E) and anterior (F) views. Individual ventrites are indicated by roman numerals. (G) Triamyxa coprolithica preserved in various degrees of disarticulation. (H) An isolated head and two elytra that do not belong to Triamyxa coprolithica but to slightly larger beetles that were also ingested by the coprolite producer. (I) Examples of individual remains of Triamyxa coprolithica (meso- and metaventrite, head, head attached to pronotum, and three pronota). (J) Two of numerous elytra of similar size and morphology attributed to T. coprolithica. (K) Fibrous structures interpreted as fungi or algae. (L) A possible decomposed wood fragment (Adopted from Qvarnström et al., 2021) 3.2 Methods of Studying Beetle Fossils The study of beetle fossils employs various paleontological techniques to uncover and analyze these ancient specimens. Traditional methods include the examination of compressed fossils and the use of morphological matrices to determine phylogenetic relationships (Fikáček et al., 2020). More advanced techniques, such as synchrotron microtomography, have been used to investigate 3D-preserved beetle remains in coprolites, providing detailed insights into their morphology and phylogenetic placement. X-ray micro-computed tomography has also been employed to reconstruct the morphology of beetles obscured by opaque bubbles in amber, allowing for the identification of new species and their diagnostic characters (Kundrata et al., 2020). Advances in technology have significantly impacted the analysis of beetle fossils, leading to more accurate and detailed reconstructions of their evolutionary history. The use of phylogenomic methods, which integrate genomic data with fossil calibrations, has refined the timescale of beetle evolution and resolved previously controversial phylogenetic relationships (Mckenna et al., 2019; Cai et al., 2021). These methods have also highlighted the importance of selecting appropriate fossil calibration points to avoid underestimating clade ages, as seen in the critique of previous studies (Toussaint et al., 2017). Additionally, the application of finite element analysis and simulations has provided new insights into the functional morphology of extinct beetle species, such as the springing movements hypothesized for a Cretaceous chafer beetle (Lu et al., 2023).
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