Euryptychus hispaniolus 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 : 14

Euryptychus hispaniolus Otto , new species

Fig. 15–16

Holotype. Embedded in ovoid Dominican Republic amber piece, 23 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm. Amber piece is clear yellow with micro fractures and some debris.

Diagnosis. Expanded metacoxal plates distinguish this species from the Nearctic Euryptychus arizonicus (Van Dyke) . Overall shape of the pronotum will separate the species from the Neotropical Euryptychus viduus (Horn) ; that being basally parallel-sided in E. hispaniolus new species and strongly arcuate in E. viduus .

Description. Length, 6.0 mm. Width, 2.5 mm. Habitus subcylindrical, moderately elongate and tapering towards the elytral apex; uniformly dull blackish; head, pronotum and elytra clothed with short, recumbent setae ( Fig. 15 ). Head: Very closely and deeply punctate; subspherical with convex frons; surfaces dull; apical margin of frontoclypeal region evenly rounded, about 2.00 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antennae: Capitate, 1/2 as long as body; scape elongate, about 4.0 times longer than pedicel, lateral ridge absent; flagellomere I about as long as II and III combined; flagellomeres II–V quadrate; flagellomeres VII–IX each elongate and as long as flagellomeres I–III combined; flagellomere IX as long as VIII. Pronotum: Closely and deeply punctate; surfaces dull; longer than wide, with moderate hind angles; basal half parallel-sided; anterior portion of pronotum slightly convex; disc with median impressed line extending from base up three-fourths the length of pronotum; hypomeron simple, without antennal grooves. Scutellum: Punctate, oblong, triangular and distally rounded. Elytra: Faintly indicated striae present; interstices slightly elevated, very closely and deeply punctate. Legs: First tarsomere as long as 2–5 combined on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; lateral surfaces of mesothoracic and metathoracic tibiae with setae and transverse rows of spine combs; metatarsomeres I–IV simple; metatarsomere V elongate with simple claws. Venter ( Fig. 16 ): Closely and deeply punctate, with short, recumbent setae; metaepisternum parallel-sided; metacoxal plates medially 6.0 times wider than laterally.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from the name of the island in which the extinct species once thrived.

Figures

Figures 15–18. Dominican amber Eucnemidae. 15) Euryptychus hispaniolus Otto sp. nov., dorsal view. 16) Euryptychus hispaniolus Otto sp. nov., ventrolateral view. 17) Plesiofornax caribbeanus Otto sp. nov., dorsolateral view. 18) Plesiofornax caribbeanus Otto sp. nov., ventrolateral view. (Scale: 15–18 = 2.0 mm).