CERAMBYCID BEETLE FAUNA 303 



fauna than in the Vancouveran (Pidonia, Leptostyhis, and Saperda, 

 now associated with broad-leaved deciduous trees) and four belong 

 to genera found in the present Alleghenian but not in the Van- 

 couveran (Dryobius, Slenosphenus, Psapharochus, and Megacyllene, 

 which are also associated with hardwoods, the last with Gary a and 

 Robinia, which were represented in the Florissant flora). Among the 

 fossil genera with recognizable affinities, Protospondylis is apparently 

 related to the living genera Spondylis (with one species in the 

 Palearctic Region, one in the Vancouveran subfauna, another on 

 the Mexican Plateau, but none in the Alleghenian) and Scaphinus 

 (one living species in the Alleghenian). All known members of this 

 group are associated with conifers (Pinaceae). Protipochus and 

 Parolamia appear to be related to forms now living in the Med- 

 iterranean region. The affinities and/or interpretations of the 

 remaining fossil genera are obscure. 



In Europe among the oldest records for species that might belong 

 to modern cerambycid genera are fragments from the Middle 

 Eocene of the Geisel Valley near Halle (Pongracz, 1935). Baltic 

 Amber contains many fine examples, but these have not been 

 adequately studied, although modern Holarctic genera are well 

 represented (Klebs, 1910). From Early and Middle Tertiary, 

 Handlirsch (1908) listed 70 species, but most need to be reexamined 

 in the light of current classifications. However, Statz (1938) re- 

 ported on a small sample of cerambycids from the Middle Oligocene 

 sediments at Rott am Siebenbirge, all of which could be placed in 

 modern genera (about half are now Holarctic in distribution, the 

 remainder Palaearctic) . He emphasized that the varied and rich 

 growth of deciduous trees and shrubs of the Rott environment 

 provided an abundance of living and decaying wood for larval 

 development and numerous composites, umbellifers, and flowering 

 shrubs for pollen-feeding adults, yet cerambycids represent only 

 0.6 per cent of the known beetle fauna in contrast to the 9 per cent 

 of the living forms. Although, in part this may reflect lower pop- 

 ulation levels in the family, Statz considers that their over-all 

 representation in the Tertiary record as from 3 to 4 per cent of the 

 beetle fauna reflects a less highly developed group, at least in the 

 Early and Middle periods, than at present. 



Although no later fossil Cerambycidae are known from North 

 America, Axelrod (1956) has characterized several Mio- Pliocene 



