Themus (Haplothemus) bennyianderseni, Fanti & Damgaard, 2018

Fanti, Fabrizio & Damgaard, Anders Leth, 2018, Fossil soldier beetles from Baltic amber of the Anders Damgaard amber collection (Coleoptera Cantharidae), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 18 (1), pp. 1-32 : 19-20

Themus (Haplothemus) bennyianderseni n.

sp.

( Fig. 13 )

Holotype. Sex undetermined, in Baltic amber, accession No. ALDC0054 /ALD. Ba.Can. 5

Type locality. Russia, Kaliningrad Region, Sambian Peninsula, amber quarry near Yantarny (previously known as Palmnicken).

Type horizon. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8- 41.2 MY) to Late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8- 33.9 MY).

Differential diagnosis. Large size and long cheeks are quite typical of the genus Themus and the rounded sides of the pronotum are present only in the subgenus Haplothemus ( Švihla 2008) . Themus bennyianderseni n. sp. is distinguishable from Th. (Haplothemus) pristinus Kazantsev, 2013 , the only other congener in amber, by sides and apical margin of the pronotum strongly rounded, without blunt and noticeable angles ( Kazantsev 2013). As indicated in Fanti (2017a), other Themus fossils are known for the Middle Miocene of Shandong, Shanwang, Linqu County in China (Zhang 1989; Zhang et al. 1994).

Description. Adult, winged, very robust and stocky habitus. Sex undetermined. Body length 15 mm; width at humeri ~ 3.5 mm. Real colour difficult to determine but head and pronotum are probably bluish-grey, elytra dark testaceousgrey, knees and tibiae black. Head exposed and strongly elongated, narrower than pronotum, without punctation but with small granules and some long setae, parallel-sides behind eyes, and with long cheeks. Eyes roundish, small and very convex; interocular distance about 3.8 times greater than eye diameter. Mandibles short, massive and powerful. Maxillary palpomeres unequal; first segment very short; second elongated and strongly globular; third small; last securiform. Antennae 11-segmented, filiform, hairless except for a tuft at the apex of each segment, placed away from the apical part of the eyes toward the clypeus, posteriorly reaching the metafemurs; antennomeres subequal in length except for the second and third, which are slightly shorter. Pronotum with very small and not impressed granulate punctation, with short setae, very rounded apical margins and sides (unknown in any extant and fossil congeners), basal margin perfectly straight. Scutellum blackish, triangular with largely rounded apex. Elytra long, very slightly broader than pronotum, slightly widened at the basal third, with roundish apex, granulose with scarce and small raised setae. Posterior wings completely covered by elytra. Legs two-tone; trochanters short and roundish except for the metatrochanter, which is elongated; femora short and massive with setae; tibiae relatively fine and ~2 times longer than femora, equipped by numerous small and short setae; metatibiae curved. Five tarsomeres; the first very elongated and swelled after half-length; second one-half as long as the first; third and fourth about twothirds as long as the second; fifth tarsomere and claws not well visible.

Etymology. This new species is named in honour of the Danish songwriter, poet, author, composer and pianist Benny Andersen, in recognition of his long, successful career.

Syninclusions. Wood remains, stellate trichomes, some air bubbles, pyrite, some Diptera , parts of a spider.

Remarks. The rectangular (rounded at apex) piece of amber (lacquered) measures around 38 x 27 x 12 mm, with the surface showing a

shallow fracture that does not reach the inclusion. Right metatarsus is not conserved.

Figures

Fig. 13. Themus (Haplothemus) bennyianderseni n. sp. in Baltic amber. A: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum, bar = 1.0 mm; B: Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 1.0 mm; C: Holotype, global aspect of the amber specimen with the inclusion (this photo is also found in FANTI 2017a), bar = 5.0 mm. Tribe Malthodini Böving & Craighead, 1931 Genus Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852 Subgenus Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852