Cretocantharis, Hsiao & Li & Ren & Pang, 2021

Hsiao, Yun, Li, Yun, Ren, Dong & Pang, Hong, 2021, Morphological phylogenetics provide new insights into the classification and evolution of fossil soldier beetles from Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 193, pp. 1271-1293 : 1281

† CRETOCANTHARIS GEN. NOV.

( FIGS 3–4 )

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: 99722309-6744-4BE2-9C5C-F85BDDEF6C68.

Type species: † Cretocantharis veda .

Diagnosis: Body small (c. 2.5 mm) ( Fig. 3 ); eyes large, hemispherically prominent ( Fig. 4A, B ); apical maxillary palpomere bilaterally symmetric, securiform; mandibles simple, without tooth on the inner margin; antennae filiform, pedicel and antennomere 3 subequal in length ( Fig. 3A ). Pronotum subquadrate, parallel-sided, with a shallow median groove ( Fig. 4C ). Elytra slightly shortened, disc deeply punctate and reticulate, with longitudinal costae and inconspicuous cells ( Fig. 4D ). Legs elongate, with lobed tarsomere 4 and simple claws ( Figs 3 , 4F ).

Etymology: The name is composed of the prefix Creto derived from the Cretaceous and the Greek word κάνθαρισ, a beetle, derived from the genus Cantharis Linnaeus, 1758 , type of Cantharidae . Gender: feminine.

Figures

Figure 3. Habitus of Cretocantharis veda: A, dorsal view; B, ventral-lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Details of body parts of Cretocantharis veda: A, head, dorsal view; B, ditto, ventral-lateral view; C, pronotum; D, elytra; E, caudal segments; F, tarsus of left hind leg. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.