A new trace fossil produced by insects in fossil wood of Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Missão Velha Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil

A new insect trace in silicified wood is described from the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Missão Velha Formation, Araripe Basin (Northeastern Brazil). Pluriramosus missaovelhensis igen. et isp. nov. consists of a main tunnel slightly curved, parallel to the growth rings (tangencial). The main tunnel has short lateral tunnels connected to it at almost right angles and with rounded terminal portions. The internal surface of the main tunnel has parallel concave grooves (bioglyphs). Based on a review of wood boring patterns produced by modern insects, the xylophagous beetles (Coleoptera) are most likely the producers of the trace fossil due to the similarity with the borings produced by modern beetles of the Platypodidae family. This is the first trace fossil attributed to beetles for the Missão Velha Formation and the oldest record of Coleoptera for the Araripe Basin. This record contributes to the enrichment of taxonomic ichnology and expands the knowledge about ancient insects of the Araripe Basin.