Nematodes miocenensis Otto, 2023

Otto, Robert L., 2023, The false click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea: Eucnemidae) of the Dominican Republic. Part I: A look into the past, Insecta Mundi 2023 (973), pp. 1-23 : 18-20

Nematodes miocenensis Otto , new species

Fig. 24–25

Holotype. Embedded in an oblonged, ovoid Dominican Republic amber piece, 33 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm. Amber piece is clear yellow with a few air bubbles, debris, micro fractures and one additional undescribed arachnid (spider).

Paratype. Embedded in a large, ovoid Dominican Republic amber piece, 42 mm × 26 mm × 15 mm. Amber piece is clear dark yellow/orange with small air bubbles, debris, micro fractures and six additional undescribed insects (1 ant, 1 wasp, 2 flies and 2 beetles of which includes 1 curculionid and 1 very unusual staphylinid).

Diagnosis. Large, robust form of the species and black coloration will distinguish this species from any Nematodes species distributed in the Greater Antilles.

Description. Length, 6.5 mm. Width, 2.0 mm. Habitus moderately elongate and tapering towards the elytral apex, robust, large; dark black; antennae and legs dark brown to black; pronotum and elytra clothed with very short, black recumbent setae ( Fig. 24 ). Head: Closely punctate, subspherical with convex frons; surface matte; apical margin of frontoclypeal region very weakly trilobed, about 2.0–2.5 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, closely punctate. Antenna: Weakly serrate. Flagellomere I longer than II; flagellomere II shorter than III; flagellomere III shorter than IV; flagellomeres IV–VII each sub-equal in length, slightly enlarged; right flagellomeres VIII–IX are missing; left antenna is missing, except for the scape. Pronotum: Closely punctate; surface matte; wider than long with moderately sized, narrowed hind angles; basal three-fourths parallel-sided; anterior portion of pronotum slightly convex; base with median impressed line above scutellum; hypomeron simple, without antennal grooves. Scutellum: Closely punctate, sub-triangular and distally rounded. Elytra: Closely punctate, striae absent. Legs: First tarsomere about as long as 2–5 combined on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomeres IV excavated and emarginated; metatarsomere V elongate with simple claws. Venter ( Fig. 25 ): Closely punctate, with recumbent very short black setae; metaepisternum parallel-sided; metacoxal plates medially 3.5 times wider than laterally.

Variation. The paratype, although in its destroyed condition in a piece of amber is much larger and too different compared to the holotype, 14.0 mm long, 4.0 mm wide.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from the geologic time in which the two specimens were entombed in amber.

Figures

Figures 24–27. Dominican amber Eucnemidae. 24) Nematodes miocenensis Otto sp. nov., dorsal view. 25) Nematodes miocenensis Otto sp. nov., ventral view. 26) Nematodes thoracicus Otto sp. nov., dorsolateral view. 27) Nematodes thoracicus Otto sp. nov., ventral view. (Scale: 24–27 = 2.0 mm).