Department of Integrative Biology

Electrobates spinipes gen. n., sp. n. (Hemiptera, Gerridae) is described from Dominican amber (upper Oligocene). The male and female type specimens are extremely well-preserved and reveal almost all characters required for placing the fossil species in the classification of extant Gerridae. The phylogenetic relationship of Electrobates gen. n. is analyzed and discussed. It is classified as belonging to a lineage (clade) of Gerridae which is now extinct. A new subfamily, Electrobatinae subfam. n., is erected for the fossil genus. Finally, the finding of a male and female enclosed in the same piece of amber is taken as evidence of postcopulatory mate guarding in a fossil gerrid. The present paper documents that phylogenetic reconstruction can be coupled with information from the fossil record to increase understanding of evolutionary history.