Elektrokleinia thiloi, Fanti & Müller, 2022

Fanti, Fabrizio & Müller, Patrick, 2022, Fossil Cantharidae from the Cretaceous Burmese (Kachin) amber of the Patrick Müller collection, and taxonomic information, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 22 (2), pp. 331-380 : 336-338

Elektrokleinia thiloi sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Holotype. Probable male, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNSB­BSPG 2021 XII 20 in the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4392 ).

Type locality. Myanmar: Kachin state, Myitkyina District, Hukawng Valley.

Type horizon. Lowermost Cenomanian (98.79 ± 0.62 Ma), mid­Cretaceous.

Differential diagnosis. Head restricted behind the eyes, short elytra that do not reach the last abdominal segments and equipped with punctuation gathered in striae, plus a pronotum that is little rounded at the sides, make this new species belong to the genus Elektrokleinia ( Cantharidae ). Elektrokleinia picta Ellenberger & Fanti, 2019 is the Elektrokleinia most similar to Elektrokleinia thiloi sp. nov., but differs by its pronotum that is less rounded anteriorly and with a less deep concavity in the first basal third of the sides ( Ellenberger & Fanti 2019). Elektrokleinia panna (Hsiao, Y. Li, Ren & Pang, 2021) has the pronotum narrowest anteriorly.

Description. Adult, alate, rather robust. Probable male, for the last sternite deeply incised. Entirely brown­testaceous.Body length: 5.1 mm.

Head transverse, triangular behind the eyes, slightly convex dorsally, partially covered by the pronotum, surface smooth. Eyes very prominent, subelliptical, inserted laterally to the head, inter­ocular dorsal distance about 2.5 times greater than eye diameter. Mandibles elongated, falciform. Maxillary palps 4­ segmented, with the first palpomere thin and elongated, second palpomere robust, third palpomere almost triangular, last palpomere securiform. Labial palps 3­ segmented with the last palpomere securiform. Antennae 11­ segmented, filiform, inserted in the upper part of the head and not particularly close to the eyes, short, not reaching the half of elytra; scape club­shaped; antennomeres II–III subequal, shorter than first; antennomere IV as long as antennomeres II–III together; antennomeres V–X subequal, shorter than antennomere IV; antennomere XI elongate, with rounded apex; all antennomeres with very short setae. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, anterior margin rounded and bordered, sides irregular and slightly bordered and with a concavity in the first basal third, surface flat without pubescence. Scutellum triangular­shaped with rounded apex. Elytra wider than pronotum, parallel­sided, rounded at apex, not covering the last two abdominal segments, surface slightly pubescent presenting coarse punctation gathered in striae. Metathoracic wings transparent, slightly longer than elytra, not surpassing the last abdominal segment. Sternum subquadrate with a rounded posterior margin. Sternites transverse, last two tergites as a caudal appendage, last tergite narrower than penultimate tergite, last sternite with the posterior margin with a deep incision in the middle. Legs robust and with pubescence; coxae short, robust; trochanters elongated with rounded apex; femora almost straight; tibiae thin, elongate, cylindrical and enlarged at the apex, with a robust spur at apex, protibiae as long as profemora, mesotibiae slightly longer than mesofemora, metatibiae longer than metafemora. Tarsal formula 5­ 5­ 5; first tarsomere about 2.1 times longer than second tarsomere; third tarsomere very slightly shorter than second tarsomere and with a lobe at sides; fourth tarsomere bilobed with the lobes very elongated; fifth tarsomere elongate, thin, slightly enlarged apically; claws simple without tooth at the base.

Etymology. Named in honor of Thilo Müller, son of the second author (Patrick).

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, detritus.

Remarks. Piece of clear, golden amber that measures 20x11x 5 mm. The inclusion is complete, except for the left mesothoracic leg preserved until part of the tibia.

Figures

Fig. 3. Elektrokleinia thiloi sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view; B: Holotype, ventral view.