Protocoleoptera

The Protocoleoptera are a paraphyletic group of extinct beetles, containing the earliest and most primitive lineages of beetles. They represented the dominant group of beetles during the Permian, but were largely replaced by modern beetle groups during the following Triassic. Protocoleopterans typically possess prognathous (horizontal) heads, distinctive elytra with regular window punctures, culticles with tubercles or scales, as well as a primitive pattern of ventral sclerites, similar to the modern archostematan families Ommatidae and Cupedidae. They are thought to have been xylophagous and wood boring.[2][3]

Protocoleoptera Temporal range:
(A, B) Moravocoleus permianus (Tshekardocoleidae) (C,D) Permocupes sojanensis (Permocupedidae) (E) Tshekardocoleidae, Sylvacoleus richteri (F) Taldycupedidae, Taldycupes reticulatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	†Protocoleoptera Tillyard, 1924[1]
Families
see text

Kirejtshuk et al. (2014) argue that the name "Protocoleoptera" should not be used for the group, as Protocoleoptera Tillyard, 1924 was originally proposed for the family Protocoleidae Tillyard, 1924, now considered a member of the extinct order Protelytroptera (a stem-group of the modern Dermaptera, the earwigs).[4] Because of this, Cai et al. (2022) proposed a replacement name, Alphacoleoptera Engel, Cai & Tihelka, 2022.[5] In Kirejtshuk (2020), the extinct beetles included in Protocoleoptera auctorum, non Tillyard, 1924 were placed within the suborder Archostemata instead.[6]