Tafforeus, Perreau, Michel, 2012

Perreau, Michel, 2012, Description of a new genus and two new species of Leiodidae (Coleoptera) from Baltic amber using phase contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography, Zootaxa 3455, pp. 81-88 : 84

Tafforeus gen. n.

Type species. Tafforeus cainosternus sp. n.

Description. Body oval and convex ( Figs. 8–9 ).

Head with fine, randomly dispersed punctures, without antennal grooves on ventral side. Epistomal suture present. Labrum rectangular, anterior edge not emarginate. Last maxillary palpomere approximately twice as long as penultimate, not expanded. Antennae 11-segmented, as long as one-third of body length, slender, with indistinct 5-segmented club, the eighth antennomere reduced but not discoid ( Fig. 11 ).

Pronotum without basal or lateral rim, with tiny and very sparse punctation and distinct transversal microreticulation (the microreticulation is not visible in tomographic pictures, but can be clearly seen when the specimens are directly observed in visible light). Posterior angles widely rounded ( Fig. 8 ). Prosternum short. Posterior edge of procoxal cavities closed, postcoxal process reaching prosternal process which is triangular ( Fig. 10 ). Mesoventrite highly carinate, carina deeply notched ( Fig. 15 ).

Elytra each with 10 distinct rows of punctures (including the parasutural stria), with traces of superficial transversal strigae, parasutural stria deep ( Fig. 8 ). Abdomen with six visible ventrites.

Tarsal formula: 5-5- 4 in male ( Figs. 12–14 ), 5-4- 4 in female. Protarsi and mesotarsi dilated in male ( Figs. 12– 13 ), not dilated in female. Metatarsi not dilated in both sexes ( Fig. 14 ). All tibiae with large lateral spines denser in apical half.

Aedeagus long and slender. Parameres long and thin, as long as median lobe and held closely against it ( Figs. 16–17 ).

Etymology. The genus is dedicated to Paul Tafforeau, the pioneer in the paleoentomological applications of synchrotron X-ray imaging. Gender masculine.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 17. External and internal morphology of Tafforeus cainosternus sp. n. (holotype) by PPC-SRμCT. 8, habitus dorsal view. 9, habitus lateral view. 10, prosternum and procoxal cavities from behind (pp = triangular prosternal process). 11, antenna. 12, protarsus, dorsal view. 13, mesotarsus, dorsal view. 14, posterior leg (th = ventral tooth). 15, mesoventral carina (msc) and mesocoxal cavity (mcx), lateral view. 16, aedeagus, lateral view. 17, aedeagus, dorsal view.