Vitalfranzius cretaceus, 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 : 374-376

Vitalfranzius cretaceus sp. nov.

( Fig. 24 )

Holotype. Sex undefined, adult specimen in a Burmese (Kachin) amber piece: Catalog number SNSB­BSPG 2021 XII 66 in the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (ex Müller’s collection number: BUB4236 ).

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 serrate, and the last abdominal segment slightly forked apically make this new species belong to the genus Vitalfranzius gen. nov. The new species is easily distinguishable from other species of Vitalfranzius by its serrate antennae and a rounded pronotum at the sides and anterior margin.

Description. Adult, winged, rather robust. Sex undefined. Body length 4.0 + head 0.8 mm (detached from the body). Entirely reddish­brown.

Head strongly rounded, slightly transverse, slightly convex, not constricted (triangular­shaped) behind the eyes, surface smooth. Eyes prominent, large, convex, roundish­oblong, inserted in the upper and lateral part of the head. Mandibles very elongated and robust, falciform with pointed apex, equipped with a robust tooth inserted about at the two third of the mandible’s length. Maxillary palps 4­ segmented with the last palpomere elongated, securiform with apex rounded. Labial palps 3­ segmented. Antennae 11­ segmented, serrate, rather robust, very short, millimetrically reaches the humeral zone of the elytra, antennal insertion far from the eyes; scape elongated, robust, club­shaped; antennomere II extremely short, globular; antennomeres III–XI subequal in length, short, robust, each equipped with a short and robust antennal process slightly elongated with rounded apex, but antennomeres III–IV slightly longer than the following, and the antennomeres IX–XI stouter than previous ones with the lobe more squared­irregulaar apically and wider (also the antennomere VIII has the antennal process squared­irregular apically). Pronotum strongly rounded, slightly wider than head, anterior margin strongly rounded, posterior margin almost straight, sides strongly rounded, anterior corners completely rounded and not visible, posterior corners small and obtuse, pronotum disc smooth. Scutellum distorted, not well visible. Elytra short, at humeri wider than pronotum and narrower than pronotum at the apex, posteriorly slightly dehiscent, rounded apexes, suture robust and evident, surface smooth with very short setae and without punctation. Metathoracic wings transparent, longer than elytra. Sternum elongated, rectangular, with posterior margin irregular. Legs robust, very short, pubescent with several short setae; coxae massive, very elongated, with rounded apex; trochanters elongated, with rounded apex; femora slightly curved, more robust than tibiae, cylindrical; tibiae slightly flat, thin, with a spur near the apex, shorter than femora. Tarsal formula 5­ 5­ 5; first tarsomere long, about 1.5 times longer than second; third tarsomere short, triangular; fourth strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat and curved; claws simple without tooth.

Etymology. From the Latin adjective “ cr Á t ‚- ceus ” = cretaceous. In reference to the geological period (Cretaceous, derived from the Latin “ cr Á ta ” = chalk) in which the amber was deposited.

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, detritus.

Remarks. Piece of clear, golden amber that measures 20x12x 3 mm. The inclusion lacks the whole abdomen, while the head is present but completely detached from the body. Furthermore, the left antenna is preserved until the ninth antennomere. Some debris and the surface with reddish­black spots could mistakenly suggest the presence of a fronto­clypeal suture.

Figures

Fig. 24. Vitalfranzius cretaceus gen. et sp. nov. in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view; B: Holotype, ventral view.