Sanaungulus kachinensis, 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 : 352-354

Sanaungulus kachinensis sp. nov.

( Fig. 12 )

Holotype. Male, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNSB­BSPG 2021 XII 14 in the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4312 ).

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

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

Differential diagnosis. The new species is characterized by antennae equipped with an antennal process near the base of antennomeres IV– X. It differs from Sanaungulus havai sp. nov. based on the head that is less triangular behind the eyes, the pronotum with a median incision, and by antennae with longer rami. It differs from Sanaungulus ruficollis Y. Yang, Liu & Zhao in Y. Yang, Zhao, Geiser, W. Zhang, Ren, Bai & Liu, 2022 based on the antennal processes, the pronotum incised, and by longer metathoracic wings ( Yang et al. 2022).

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male, defined on the shape of the last abdominal segments. Body length about 2.8 mm. Entirely brown.

Head elongated, slightly constricted behind the eyes, fitted with small rugosity. Eyes very prominent, roundish, inserted in the upper and dorsolateral part of the head. Mandibles elongated, very robust, falciform.Maxillary palps 4­ segmented, with the last palpomere strongly securiform. Labial palps 3­ segmented, with the last palpomere securiform.Antennae 11­ segmented, pectinate, slender, long, surpassing the apex of the elytra; scape elongated, robust; antennomere II short; antennomere III filiform, about 1.9 times longer than second; antennomeres IV–X subequal in length, each equipped near their base with a very long, robust, almost straight antennal process (longer than antennomere), almost rounded apically; antennomere XI filiform, extremely long, rounded apically; all the antennomeres with short pubescence. Pronotum longer than wide, as wide as head, anterior margin rounded and bordered, posterior margin rather straight, corners obtuse, sides almost straight, pronotum disc with a transversal median and deep incision, equipped with short setae. Scutellum triangular­shaped. Elytra short which reveals various abdominal segments, as wide as pronotum, sub­parallel, rounded apexes, surface with shallow punctuation and several short setae. Metathoracic wings transparent, long, surpassing the elytra and reaching the last abdominal segments. Sternum elongated, almost straight posteriorly, sternites transverse equipped with short setae; last tergite elongated, wide and strongly globular (spatuliform); last sternite elongated, very thin. Legs thin, long, pubescent; coxae massive, elongated, with rounded apex; trochanters elongated, robust, with rounded apex; femora slightly curved, more robust than tibiae; tibiae cylindrical, thin, without spurs near the apex, pro­ and mesotibiae slightly shorter than pro­ and mesofemora, metatibiae slightly longer than metafemora. Tarsal formula 5­5­5; first tarsomere long; second tarsomere about 1.2 times shorter than first; third tarsomere triangular­shaped, short, straight apically; fourth tarsomere short, strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat and strongly curved; claws simple, apparently without denticle at the base.

Etymology. Derived from the toponym Kachin (the locality where the amber mines are located) + the Latin suffix ­Á nsis.

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, detritus, one Diptera .

Remarks. Piece of clear (surface is slightly blurred), golden amber that measures 11x9x 2.5 mm. The inclusion is complete except for the right antenna preserved until the tenth antennomere.

Figures

Fig. 12. Sanaungulus kachinensis sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A–B: Holotype, lateral views.