Elateridae

Oberprieler, Rolf G., Ashman, Lauren G., Frese, Michael & Ślipiński, Adam, 2016, The first elateroid beetles (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Elateroidea) from the Upper Jurassic of Australia, Zootaxa 4147 (2), pp. 177-191 : 187

Elateridae ? Genus and species 4

( Figs. 19–20 )

Description. A larger specimen comprising prothorax, complete elytra, femur and tibia of left foreleg, femur of left hindleg and parts of left side of abdomen. Length 5.25 mm, width at base of pronotum 1.62 mm. Head apparently concealed beneath prothorax. Pronotum anteriorly broadly rounded, anterolaterally not angled, sides straight and slightly diverging posteriad; posterolateral angles acute but only slightly produced, with short carina indicated; basal margin apparently straight; surface smooth, not distinctly punctate or granulate. Scutellar shield large, flat, inversely ogival in outline. Elytra broad, laterally gently curved, apices blunt, roundly conjoined; flat but intervals apparently slightly raised; 9 striae of small, moderately deep punctures discernible on disc. Femora and tibiae slender, subcylindrical, apparently straight. Abdominal ventrites flat, smooth; sutures straight.

Material examined (1 specimen). Part (AM F. 111180) consisting of cuticular remains of prothorax, elytra, femur and tibia of left foreleg, femur of left hindleg and impression of left side of abdomen; counterpart (AM F. 111179) comprising impression of prothorax and elytra and cuticular remains of left side of abdomen and part of prothorax. Talbragar Fish Bed ( Upper Jurassic : Kimmeridgian-Tithonian, 151 ±4 Ma), Gulgong, N.S.W., Australia , December 2011, coll. R. G. Beattie. Deposited in the Australian Museum, Sydney.

Remarks. The specimen differs from the holotype of Beattieellus jurassicus in its larger size, relatively shorter prothorax, apparently carinate posterolateral pronotal angles and longer, apically more broadly rounded elytra. The carina indicated on the left posterolateral angle of the part suggests that the specimen may represent a species of Elateridae , but it is again too poorly preserved to allow a definite family placement and warrant a formal description and name.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 20. Elateroidea Genus and species 3 & 4. 17, Genus and species 3, part (AM F. 141620); 18, Genus and species 3, counterpart (AM F. 141621); 19, Genus and species 4, part (AM F. 111180); 20, Genus and species 4, counterpart (AM F. 111179). Scale bars 1 mm.