Malthodes (s. str.) moellehavei, 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 : 23-24

Malthodes (s. str.) moellehavei n. sp.

( Fig. 16 )

Holotype. Male, in Baltic amber, accession No. ALDC0052 /ALD. Ba.Can. 3

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. Malthodes moellehavei n. sp. shows intermediate size and characters of extant species of both brevicollisgroup and minimus- group ( Liberti 2016). Concerning the fossil species ( Kuśka & Kupryjanowicz 2005; Kuśka & Kania 2010; Fanti 2017ab; Fanti & Vitali 2017), it differs from M. ceranowiczae Kuśka & Kupryjanowicz, 2005 in how the last tergite (tg10) is more elongated and with apical tips, and in the more curved last sternite (st9); from M. michalskii Fanti, 2017 in the longer, narrower and more deeply apically incised last sternite and in the longer last tergite with sinuous apex, and in particular, from M. sucini Kuśka & Kania, 2010 in the wider penultimate tergite (tg9) and in the apically sinuous last tergite (tg10). Furthermore, it differs from M. henningseni n. sp. in the tg10 sinuous at apex and st9 apically forked, while it is not forked but with lateral appendages near the apex in M. henningseni n. sp.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male, based on the last urites modified and the long antennae. Body length 3 mm; antennae 2.1-2.2 mm. Entirely dark brown-blackish without yellow spots on elytra. Head completely exposed, rounded, slightly larger than pronotum, equipped with shallow punctation and pubescent. Eyes rounded, convex and prominent. Maxillary palps 4-segmented, unequal in length, with the terminal one globular - roundish, stout and distally very pointed. Labial palps 3-segmented with the last segment globular and pointed. Antennae filiform, 11-segmented, very long, surpassing the elytra and almost reaching the last abdominal segments; scape very elongated, not club-shaped and only slightly enlarged apically; pedicel filiform, about one-half as long as the scape; antennomere III as long as the pedicel; antennomeres IV-XI filiform, elongated, subequal in length, slightly longer than second or third antennomere; all antennomeres with scattered setae. Pronotum small, slightly transverse, narrower anteriorly, equipped with dense shallow punctation, basal margin straight, sides concave and angles rounded, surface undulate. Scutellum triangular, with very elongated and slightly rounded apex. Elytra slightly wider than pronotum, short, slender, reaching about the abdominal half, wide at base and very narrowed in the apical half, with largely roundish apex; surface slightly wrinkled and pubescent. Posterior wings wide and long, dark, surpassing the elytra and the abdominal segments. Legs slender; coxae robust; trochanters elongated; femora enlarged; tibiae cylindrical, very thin, strongly longer than femur. Tarsal formula 5-5-5 and tarsomeres robust; tarsomere I long and more than two times longer than second; tarsomere III robust and shorter than second; tarsomere IV bilobed; tarsomere V slender; claws simple. Penultimate tergite (tg9) transverse and wide with sides slightly bent; last tergite (tg10) lobe-shaped and elongated, narrower than tg9, with sinuous apex and apical tips; last sternite (st9) long, strongly curved, apically deeply forked (V-shaped) with the lobes narrow and rounded at apex; sternal surface of abdomen punctate and with pubescence.

Etymology. This new species is named in honour of the Danish priest, author and lecturer Johannes Volf Møllehave, to thank him for his work and to further recognize him for the awards that he has earned.

Syninclusions. A few wood remains and one stellate trichome.

Remarks. The rectangular piece of amber measures 28 x 11 x 4 mm and the inclusion is perfectly conserved (especially the crucial character of the last tergites and sternites), with the left antenna aligned along the body and the legs huddled.

Figures

Fig. 16. Malthodes moellehavei n. sp. in Baltic amber. A: Holotype, dorso-lateral view, bar = 500 μm; B: Holotype, detail of last abdominal segments, bar = 200 μm; C: Reconstruction of last abdominal segments, bar = 100 μm.