Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) jaredi, Fanti, 2021

Fanti, Fabrizio, 2021, Two new Malthodes and a new Podistra from Eocene Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 21 (1), pp. 1-9 : 1-9

Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) jaredi sp. nov.

( Figs. 6 - 7 )

Holotype. Male, in Baltic amber, deposited under accession number INHSP-18002.

Type locality. Poland, Baltic Sea coast, Gdańsk city area, Wisła River estuary.

Type horizon. Middle Eocene: Lutetian (47.8–41.2 Mya) to late Eocene: Priabonian (37.8–33.9 Mya).

Differential diagnosis. The last maxillary palpomere globular and distally pointed, and the last urites (both urotergites and urosternites) modified, allow this taxon to be abscribed to the genus Malthodes . The species is easily distinguishable by the last sternite elongated, broad at base and with the apex narrower in an undulating manner. This species, unlike the others of subgenus Libertimalthodes , shows the last urites slightly modified, with intermediate characters between the subgenera Malthodes and Libertimalthodes .

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male defined on the basis of the last urites modified. Body length: about 4.0 mm, elytra 3.1 mm. Entirely dark brown.

Head completely exposed, rounded, wide, with shallow punctation and short setae. Eyes large, rounded, convex, inserted laterally and in the upper part of the head. Mandibles falciform, pointed apically. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, first palpomere short and robust, second elongated, third shorter than second, fourth globular and distally pointed. Labial palpi 3-segmented; last palpomere globular and pointed.Antennae 11-segmented, filiform, inserted close to the eyes, strongly pubescent with many long setae, not particularly long and almost reaching the half of elytra; scape club-shaped, very robust; antennomere II short, about 1.9 times shorter than scape; antennomeres III–X sub-equal and filiform; antennomere XI elongated and rounded apically. Pronotum transverse, slightly narrower

Fanti F.

5; tarsomeres slender; tarsomere I elongated; tarsomere II about 0.8 times shorter than I; tarsomere III slightly shorter than II; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed, with slightly curved lobes; tarsomere V elongated and flat; claws simple, without lobes or teeth. Metasternum subquadrate with sinuous posterior margin; abdominal segments transverse, pubescent; last urotergite short, elongated and rounded apically; last urosternite elongated, wide, with the posterior margin narrower at the sides and a little protruded in the middle, forming a wide, rounded, very short lobe

( Fig. 7 ). Female unknown.

Etymology. Named in honour of my friend, and manager of palaeontological laboratory M. Jared Thomas (Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA).

Syninclusions. Very few botanical remains and air bubbles.

Figures

Fig. 6. Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) jaredi sp. nov. INHSP-18002 in Baltic amber.A-B: Holotype, lateral views, bars = 0.5 mm

Fig. 7. Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) jaredi sp. nov. INHSP-18002 in Baltic amber. Holotype, detail of last sternites, bar = 0.2 mm