Sanaungulus temporiscapsula, 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 : 368-370

Sanaungulus temporiscapsula sp. nov.

( Fig. 21 )

Holotype. Female, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNSB­BSPG 2021 XII 16 in the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4314 ).

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

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

Differential diagnosis. The species is easily distinguishable by its antennomeres II–IV that are short and subequal in length.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Female, defined on the shape of the last urites and short antennae. Body length 3.9 mm. Entirely dark brown.

Head transverse, strongly constricted (triangular­shaped) behind the eyes, fitted with rugosity and punctuation. Eyes very prominent, very large, roundish, inserted in the upper and lateral part of the head, inter­ocular dorsal distance approximately 1.8 times greater than the eye diameter. Mandibles falciform. Maxillary palps 4­ segmented with the last palpomere elongated and securiform.Antennae 11­ segmented, filiform, rather robust, short, slightly surpassing the humeral zone of the elytra and not reaching the half of elytra, antennal insertion in the eyes proximity; scape elongated, slender, filiform and not enlarged apically; antennomeres II–IV very short, almost globular, subequal in length with the fourth antennomere slightly serrate apically and slightly longer; antennomere V slightly longer than previous one, antennomeres VI–VIII about 1.5 times longer than antennomere IV; antennomeres IX–X shorter than previous ones, and slightly stouter; antennomere XI filiform, squared at apex; all the antennomeres with short pubescence. Pronotum transverse, as wide as head, slightly narrow anteriorly, anterior margin rounded and bordered, posterior margin almost straight, sides slightly restricted anteriorly and expanded posteriorly, posterior corners obtuse, pronotum disc convex and slightly wrinkled. Scutellum triangular­shaped. Elytra short which reveals various abdominal segments, at humeri wider than pronotum, dehiscent posteriorly, rounded apexes, surface with impressed punctation gathered in striae, pubescent. Metathoracic wings transparent, longer than elytra. Sternum elongated, sternites wide and transverse, last tergite small with two short lobes, last sternite small and rounded. Legs thin, posterior legs long, pubescent; coxae massive; trochanters rounded; femora nearly straight, more robust than tibiae; tibiae slightly flattened, thin, enlarged apically, without spurs near the apex, pro­ and mesotibiae strongly shorter than pro­ and mesofemora, metatibiae very longer than metafemora. Tarsal formula 5­ 5­ 5; first tarsomere long, about 2.0 times longer than second; third tarsomere short and enlarged apically; fourth strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere very elongated, thin; claws simple, apparently without denticle at the base.

Etymology. Derived from the Latin noun “ temporis ” (tempus) = time, and the Latin noun “ capsula ” = capsule. Thus = time capsule. In reference to the fact that the amber piece has embedded the new species making it reach us through time. Specific epithet is to be treated as noun in apposition.

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, detritus.

Remarks. Piece of clear, golden amber that measures 14x7x 2.5 mm. The inclusion is complete except for the left antenna broken and almost completely missing.

Figures

Fig. 21. Sanaungulus temporiscapsula sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view; B: Holotype, ventral view.