Burmonyx zigrasi Davis & Engel

Davis, Steven R. & Engel, Michael S., 2014, A new genus of nemonychid weevil from Burmese amber (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea), ZooKeys 405, pp. 127-138 : 128-130

Burmonyx zigrasi Davis & Engel sp. n. Figs 1-7

Holotype.

JZC-Bu228, Myanmar: Kachin; Cretaceous: Early Cenomanian; in the private collection of Mr. James S. Zigras, available for study through the Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), New York, USA. Material was obtained from ongoing excavations in mines in the Hukawng Valley, northern Myanmar ( Grimaldi et al. 2002). The raw material was brought back to Myitkyina where initial polishing and sorting was undertaken prior to final preparation of pieces in the AMNH.

Diagnosis.

As for the genus (vide supra).

Description.

Total body length (excluding rostrum): ca. 2.2 mm; maximal width (along middle of elytra): ca. 0.7 mm; elytral length: ca. 1.3 mm. Integument appearing light to dark brown (Figs 1, 2, 7). Scales absent, but dense covering of setae along at least pronotum and elytra (lateral and ventral surfaces not clearly visible). Head and compound eyes not clearly visible (slightly pushed into and obscured by prothorax). Rostrum approximately as long as pronotum along middle (exact length ratio unclear due to obscured head), fairly slender, abruptly widening apically (Fig. 3). Mandibles large, falciform. Antennae orthocerous, inserted dorso-laterally at apical 1/4; clubs composed of 3 loose articles. Pronotum seemingly as wide or nearly as wide as elytral humeri; not constricted anteriorly at collar, slightly rugulose, bearing small, dense, shallow punctures. Mesoscutellum not visible. Elytra with ten shallowly punctate striae (Figs 2, 3, 7); scutellary striole present, extending approximately to mid-length of elytra; interstices lacking punctures; elytral shoulders rounded. Abdomen with pygidium (tergite VII) concealed. Legs approximately equal in length, slender; femora slender; trochanters small, triangular; tibial spur formula 2-2-2; tarsomere 1 rather narrow, elongate (Fig. 6), approximately 2 × as long as tarsomere 2, 2 with rounded apico-lateral margins; 3 strongly bilobed (Figs 5, 6), lobes narrow; 4 short, slightly longer than 0.5 × length of tarsomere 3; 5 slender, approximately 2 × as long as tarsomere 2; pretarsal claws (ungues) divaricate strongly appendiculate, nearly bifid (Figs 4, 6).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is dedicated to the collector, Mr. James S. Zigras, who permitted study of the material and has generously supported amber research.