The fossil genus of rove beetles Apticaxgen.n. with two new species, A. volanssp.n. and A. solidussp.n., is described from the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation in north-eastern Brazil (Aptian–Albian, dated as 125–99.6 Ma old). Both species belong to the clade Staphylininae + Paederinae in the staphylinine group of subfamilies and are the first fossil true Staphylinidae to be described from the entire Southern Hemisphere. Although they resemble Paederinae, the low number of satisfactorily preserved characters do not allow definite placement of either A. volans or A. solidus in any of the subfamilies of Staphylinidae.