Vitalfranzius burmiticus, 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 : 372-374

Vitalfranzius burmiticus sp. nov.

( Fig. 23 )

Holotype. Female, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNSB­BSPG 2021 XII 15 in the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4313 ).

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

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

Differential diagnosis. Smooth and very short elytra, the rounded head behind the eyes, antennae filiform, and the last abdominal segment slightly forked apically make this new species belong to the genus Vitalfranzius gen. nov. The new species is characterized by filiform antennae and its transverse pronotum.

Description. Adult, winged, rather robust. Female, defined on the shape of the last abdominal segment and on the basis of the short antennae. Body length 5.0 mm. Entirely reddish­brown.

Head strongly rounded, slightly transverse, slightly convex, not constricted (triangular­shaped) behind the eyes, surface smooth. Eyes prominent, large, roundish, inserted in the upper and dorsolateral part of the head. Mandibles elongated, falciform. Maxillary palps 4­ segmented with the last palpomere securiform. Labial palps 3­ segmented.Antennae 11­ segmented, filiform, slender, short, almost reaching the half of elytra but not reaching the half of abdomen, antennal insertion in the eyes proximity; scape elongated, robust, club­shaped; antennomere II short, globular; antennomeres III–IX subequal in length, very elongated, longer than previous one; antennomere X slightly shorter and stouter than previous ones; antennomere XI filiform, longer than antennomere VIII, rounded at apex; antennomeres pubescent. Pronotum transverse, slightly wider than head, anterior and posterior margin almost straight and bordered, sides straight and bordered, corners obtuse, pronotum disc smooth. Scutellum robust, triangular­shaped. Elytra short which reveals various abdominal segments, at humeri wider than pronotum and as wide as pronotum at the center and apex, humeral zone rather enlarged, posteriorly parallel­sided, rounded apexes, suture robust and evident, surface completely smooth without pubescence and punctation. Metathoracic wings transparent, longer than elytra, almost reaching the apex od abdomen. Sternum elongated, subrectangular, with posterior margin slightly rounded, sternites very wide and transverse, last tergite robust with forked apex equipped with incised concavity at the center, last sternite initially robust and globular and apically forked with short and robust lobes slightly incised at the center. Legs robust, very short, pubescent with several short setae; coxae very massive and rounded; trochanters elongated and curved, with rounded apex; femora at anterior margin straight and posterior margin curved, more robust than tibiae, slightly flat; tibiae cylindrical, thin, with a spur near the apex, longer than femora, metatibiae slightly curved. Tarsal formula 5­ 5­ 5; first tarsomere long, about 1.8 times longer than second; third tarsomere short, triangular and slightly bilobed at sides; fourth globular and bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat and curved; claws apparently simple without tooth.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ burmiticus ” derives from the occurrence of this fossil in “burmite”, another name for Burmese amber.

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, detritus.

Remarks. Piece of clear, golden amber that measures 20x11x 4 mm. Two legs of the inclusion are not present/visible, and its head and pronotum are partially covered and opacized by the amber surface as well as the ventral part (with emulsion).

Figures

Fig. 23. Vitalfranzius burmiticus gen. et sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view; B: Holotype, ventral view.