Burmomiles blixenae, Fanti & Damgaard, 2019

Fanti, Fabrizio & Damgaard, Anders Leth, 2019, New soldier beetles (Cantharidae) from Baltic, Burmese and Dominican ambers of the Anders Damgaard amber collection, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 19 (2), pp. 101-125 : 103-106

Burmomiles blixenae sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 - 4 )

Holotype. Male, in Burmese amber, accession No. ALDC0530 /ALD.Bu.206

Type locality. Myanmar: Kachin state, Myitkyina District, Tanai Township, Hukawng Valley.

Type horizon. Lowermost Cenomanian (98.79 ± 0.62 Ma), mid-Cretaceous.

Differential diagnosis. Currently, only one species of Burmomiles Fanti, Damgaard & Ellenberger, 2018 is known. Burmomiles blixenae sp. nov. differs from Burmomiles willerslevorum Fanti, Damgaard & Ellenberger, 2018 by the longest antennal processes, the last antennomere more robust, and by pronotum less expanded at sides and more straight anteriorly. Furthermore, Burmomiles blixenae sp. nov. has the antennomere II (pedicel) with a flat, pointed and short hint of antennal process.

Description. Adult, winged, male on the basis of the last ventrite shorter than last tergite. Entirely testaceous-brown. Body length: 6.0 mm.

Head small, rounded, convex, narrower than pronotum, with sparce pubescence. Eyes wide, sub-elliptical, strongly prominent, inserted laterally to the head, interocular dorsal distance about 3.8 times greater than eye diameter. Mandibles not well visible. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, palpomeres unequal in length, last palpomere securiform. Labial palpi 3-segmented. Antennae relatively short, 11-segmented, pectinate, about reaching the half of the elytra but not reaching half of the abdominal length, inserted on the front and far away from the eyes; scape stout, elongate, club-shaped; pedicel very short, robust, about 3.3 times shorter than scape, with at apex a hint of antennal process that is short, flat and pointed; antennomeres III-IX elongate, subequal in length, and each of them provided of one long process at apex and inserted ventrally and slightly longer than antennal joints, the antennomeres III-V are more robust than others; antennomere X filiform without process; antennomere XI filiform, robust, enlarged, flat, with apex pointed; all antennomeres with small pubescence. Pronotum slightly transverse, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin strongly concave in the center, sides slightly enlarged and rounded, all margins bordered and before with a groove, surface flat and smooth and presenting very shallow punctation and small pubescence. Scutellum triangular-shaped with apex rounded. Elytra wider than pronotum, with prominent humeral zone, narrower near the center and enlarged near the apex, not covering last two adbominal segments and a small part of the last third, apex rounded, surface presenting dense and impressed punctation gathered in striae slightly confused. Posterior wings completely covered by elytra and slightly longer. Metasternum elongate, ventrites transverse, last sternite triangular and rounded apically and wider than last tergite which is elongate and very thin; the last urites appears as a kind of caudal appendage. Legs thin, strongly pubescent; coxae massive, rounded; trochanters elongate; femora massive, slightly curved, short except for the metafemora that are longer; tibiae long, cylindrical, thinner and longer than femora, equipped apically with spurs (one on each side); tarsal formula 5-5-5, with the first tarsomere elongate; second tarsomere slightly shorter than first; third tarsomere about 0.2 times shorter than third; fourth tarsomere bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongate; claws long, simple and enlarged basally.

Etymology. In memory of the Danish author and writer Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (born Dinesen; 17April 1885 - 7 September 1962). Dedicates that the actress Ghita Nørby suggested to us.

Syninclusions. Diptera (four specimens), debris, and small air bubbles.

Remarks. The amber piece measures 19 x 18.5 x 6 mm and the inclusion is well visible but has the right antenna folded under the body and two legs of the right side barely perceivable.

Figures

Fig. 3. Burmomiles blixenae sp. nov.ALDC0530/ALD.Bu.206 in Burmese amber.A: Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 1.0 mm; B: Holotype, ventral view, bar = 1.0 mm; C: Holotype, detail of the left antenna, bar = 500 μm; D: Holotype, detail of the left pro- and mesotarsomeres, bar = 200 μm.

Fig. 4. Burmomiles blixenae sp. nov. ALDC0530/ALD.Bu.206 in Burmese amber.A: Holotype, detail of pronotum, bar = 300 μm; B: Holotype, detail of elytra, bar = 500 μm; C: Holotype, detail of last tergites, bar = 300 μm; D: Holotype, detail of last ventrites, bar = 300 μm.