Cnopus kraxtepellenensis, Alekseev, Vitalii I. & Grzymala, Traci L., 2015

Alekseev, Vitalii I. & Grzymala, Traci L., 2015, New Aderidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) from Baltic and Bitterfeld amber, Zootaxa 3956 (2), pp. 239-257 : 247-249

Cnopus kraxtepellenensis sp. nov. Alekseev & Grzymala

( Figs. 17–20 )

Material examined. Holotype No. AWI-103 [ CVIA], female (protruding ovipositor) ( Figs. 18–19 ). The beetle inclusion is preserved in a polished piece of transparent yellow amber without any further fixation. The piece is tetrahedral in form, with maximum length 41 mm and maximum width 12 mm. The syninclusions are represented by one Nematocera (Diptera) of length 0.7 mm and one trichome. Paratype No. 373-1 [ CCHH], female (protruding ovipositor) ( Fig. 20 ). The beetle inclusion is preserved in a polished piece of transparent amber with an orange shade without any further fixation. The piece is elongate, with maximum length 16 mm and maximum width 5 mm. The plant syninclusions are represented by 13 trichomes. Paratype No. 1222-4 [ CCHH], sex unknown. The beetle inclusion is preserved in a polished piece of transparent amber with a yellowish shade. The amber piece is embedded in polyester resin. The syninclusions are absent. Paratype No. AWI-119 [ CVIA], female. The beetle inclusion is preserved in a polished piece of transparent yellow amber without any further fixation. The piece is irregular in form, with maximum length 18 mm and maximum width 16 mm. Syninclusions are absent.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the name of the northern part of Palmnicken settlement: Kraxtepellen (now Yantarny settlement).

Type strata. Baltic Amber. Eocene.

Type locality. Russia, the Kaliningrad region, the Sambian [Samland] peninsula, Yantarny settlement [formerly Palmnicken].

Description. Small for family, length 1.1 mm (paratypes No. 373-1 and No, 1222-4)— 1.25 mm (holotype and paratype No. AWI-119); moderately convex, elongate. Unicolored brown piceous. Upper surface of body shining, with short, uniseriate pubescence, one seta arising anterad of each puncture, without additional pubescence between. Body length 2.1× maximum body width. Elytral length 6.0× pronotal length.

Head. Eyes large, oval, without anterior emargination, interocular space wider than one ocular diameter; temples absent; apical maxillary palpomere elongate, cultriform. Antenna ( Fig. 17 B) moniliform; 11-segmented; reaching basal third of elytra when folded backward; scape and antennomere XI longest; antennomere length ratios: 3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 17 A) transverse, 0.56× as wide as long, widest medially; coarsely and densely punctate; shining, not visibly pubescent; with one arcuate well-defined and deep sub-basal transverse impression. Scutellum subquadrate, glabrous. Elytron moderately convex; sides weakly rounded; with visible short simple pubescence in apical half; width/length ratio 0.54; punctation dense and coarse. Metathoracic wings present.

Abdomen. Appearing 4-segmented, suture between abdominal ventrite I and abdominal ventrite II completely effaced.

Legs. Metatarsomere I slightly shorter than metatarsomeres II-IV combined.

Diagnosis. Cnopus kraxtepellenensis sp. nov. resembles the extant South-European Cnopus minor (Baudi, 1877) , but differs from the latter by the lack of pubescence on the pronotum, the narrower elytra, and the absence of anterior pronotal impressions.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Cnopus kraxtepellenensis sp. nov. illustrations. A. forebody, B. antenna.

FIGURES 18 – 20. Cnopus kraxtepellenensis sp. nov. habitus photographs. 18) Holotype, lateral view; 19) Holotype, ventrolateral view; 20) Paratype (No. 373 - 1), ventral view. Scale bar = 1.0 mm