Found in a piece of mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar, the wonderfully-preserved male of Cretophengodes azari has a light organ on the abdomen which presumably served a defensive function.

An artistic reconstruction of Cretophengodes azari; the larviform female in the background is reconstructed based on extant Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae beetles.

“However, the new fossil, found in amber from northern Myanmar, is exceptionally well-preserved, even the light organ on its abdomen is intact.”.

“The discovery of a new extinct elateroid beetle family is significant because it helps shed light on the evolution of these fascinating beetles.”.

General habitus of Cretophengodidae and representatives of the closely related Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae, under incident light: (a, b) Cretophengodes azari, dorsal and ventral views, respectively, with arrowhead showing the photic organ; (c, d) Zarhipis sp.

(Rhagophthalmidae), dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

A specimen of Burmese amber with Cretophengodes azari came from amber mines near the Noije Bum Hill in Myanmar’s Kachin State.