Sanaungulus nalae, 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 : 361-363

Sanaungulus nalae sp. nov.

( Fig. 17 )

Holotype. Male, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNHM­6011 in the Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum Braunschweig (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4033 ).

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

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

Differential diagnosis. Sanaungulus nalae sp. nov. differs from other Sanaungulus with filiform antennae for a combination of characters: Head partially covered by pronotum, smooth elytra, and a pronotal shape with the sides wider near the posterior margin and narrower from the anterior margin to the middle.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male, defined on the shape of the last sternite which is triangular, and narrower than the last tergite. Body length 5.2 mm. Entirely brown.

Head transverse, wide, slightly convex in the middle, constricted behind the eyes, smooth with short pubescence. Eyes prominent, very large, roundish and slightly subelliptic, inserted in the lateral part of the head, inter­ocular dorsal distance about 2.1 times greater than the eye diameter. Mandibles falciform. Maxillary palps 4­ segmented with the last palpomere very elongated, securiform. Labial palps 3­ segmented. Antennae 11­ segmented, filiform, short, slightly surpassing the half of elytra and almost reaching the half of abdomen, antennal insertion in the eyes proximity; scape elongated, robust; antennomere II very short, subovate; antennomere III thinner and about 1.8 times longer than second; antennomeres IV–V subequal, slightly longer than antennomere III; antennomere VI as long as the previous ones, slightly thinner; antennomeres VII–X filiform, subequal; antennomere XI filiform, slightly sturdier than previous ones, rounded at apex; all the antennomeres with short pubescence. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, narrow anteriorly, anterior margin rounded and strongly bordered, posterior margin almost straight, sides enlarged near the posterior margin and narrower from the anterior margin to the middle, posterior corners rounded, pronotum disc smooth and pubescent. Scutellum triangular­shaped. Elytra short which reveals various abdominal segments, at humeri wider than pronotum, humeral zone slightly gibbous, posteriorly parallel­sided, rounded apexes, surface smooth and sligthly pubescent equipped with short setae. Metathoracic wings infuscate, very longer than elytra, not reaching the apex of abdomen. Sternum elongated with posterior margin rounded, sternites narrow and transverse, last tergite wide with posterior margin rounded, last sternite triangular and narrower than last tergite. Legs thin, relatively short, pubescent; coxae massive, elongated, curved; trochanters elongated, curved, roundish at apex; femora more robust than tibiae, nearly straight; tibiae cylindrical, thin, without spurs near the apex, longer than femora. Tarsal formula 5­ 5­ 5; first tarsomere long, about 2.8 times longer than second; third tarsomere short, triangular; fourth strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat and curved; claws simple, without denticle at the base.

Etymology. Named in honor of Nala Müller, daughter of the second author (Patrick).

Syninclusions. Diptera (partial), air bubbles, detritus.

Remarks. Piece of clear, honey colored amber that measures 10x10x 4.5 mm. The inclusion is complete. The specimen is ventrally covered by a white and large cotton­like emulsion.

Figures

Fig. 17. Sanaungulus nalae sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view; B: Holotype, ventral view; C: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum.