Mimoplatycis bicolor, Fanti & Vitali, 2017

Fanti, Fabrizio & Vitali, Francesco, 2017, Key to fossil Malthininae, with description of two new species in Baltic amber (Coleoptera Cantharidae), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 17 (1), pp. 19-27 : 19-27

Mimoplatycis bicolor n. sp.

( Figs. 4 - 6 )

Holotype. Male. Baltic amber, ex coll. C. Gröhn D1748, coll. F. Vitali; age: Early Oligocene.

The specimen is included in a piece of dropshaped amber measuring about 1 cm, without syninclusions. The right antenna is present only through antennomere IV.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is ventrally covered by a gelatinous substance

Head wide, as wide as the pronotum, rounded, with large and very prominent eyes, temples feebly narrowed backwards posteriorly.

Last palpomere of maxillary and labial palps strongly globular and not apically not pointed, other articles not visible.

Antennae, 11-segmented, filiform, long, posteriorly reaching half of the elytral length; scape dorsally convex, not surpassing the eyes and thickened particularly in the apical half; pedicel short and cylindrical, antennomeres IIIXI elongated, about 1.3 times length of antennomere II. Antennomere proportions according to the formula: 2.0: 1.9: 2.4: 2.5: 2.3: 2.4: 2.1: 2.1: 2.0: 2.0: 2.1.

Pronotum, trapezoidal, apically narrowed, apex about one-fifth narrower than base, finely furrowed; base as wide as the elytra, finely furrowed; basal angles slightly rounded; disc slightly convex, but flat and depressed near the four corners and in two areas along the middle to form an evident Hshaped raised surface; lateral margins indistinct. Scutellum triangular, transverse, large, rounded at apex.

Elytra long, 3.4 times as long as wide at base, surpassing the abdomen, almost parallel, constricted before the middle, regularly convex afterwards; apex rounded; surface

Fanti F., Vitali F.

covered with short and thin recumbent pubescence and dense fine punctures. Hind wings present, partially visible.

Legs fairly long, thin; femora very feebly clubshaped, tibiae sub-linear; tarsi elongate, tarsomeres I - III sub-cylindrical, tarsomere IV strongly bilobed, much wider than previous ones (plantar pad); tarsomere I as long as II - III together; tarsomere V short, as long as tarsomere II or III; claws simple.

Aedeagus almost completely extruded.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Latin “bi-color” = of two colours.

Figures

Fig. 4. Mimoplatycis bicolor n. sp., Holotype, dorsal side.

Fig. 5. Mimoplatycis bicolor n. sp., Holotype, dorsal side, real colours of the species

Fig. 6. Mimoplatycis bicolor n. sp., reconstruction