Bridging an old palaeobiogeographic gap: Ripiphoridae (Insecta: Coleoptera), a new family record for the Eocene Rovno amber fauna

The first record of wedge-shaped beetles (Ripiphoridae) from Eocene Rovno amber of Ukraine is presented based on a male Ripidius Thunberg, 1806. This is the first record of the family of wedge-shaped beetles for the Rovno amber fauna bridges a long-known palaeobiogeographic gap. The examined specimen is from Zhitomir Oblast, remarkably one of only approximately 2,500 amber inclusions known from this area. The new species, Ripidius paleoslavicus sp. nov., is described and illustrated herein. A lectotype designation is made for Ripidius primordialis Stein, 1877. The species identity of the Ripidius larva from Sakhalinian amber is discussed.