Elektrokleinia steffenseni, Fanti & Damgaard, 2020

Fanti, Fabrizio & Damgaard, Anders Leth, 2020, Fossil soldier beetles of the Anders Damgaard amber collection. Fourth update, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 20 (2), pp. 125-139 : 127

Elektrokleinia steffenseni sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 - 4 )

Holotype. Sex undefined, in Burmese amber, accession No. ALDC0571 /ALD.Bu.214

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

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

Differential diagnosis. The new species is distinguishable from the other known species: Elektrokleinia picta Ellenberger & Fanti, 2019 for the last smaller urites with the last more rounded apically and for the narrower pronotum forward ( Ellenberger & Fanti 2019). Instead, the genus Burmomiles Fanti, Damgaard & Ellenberger, 2018 has pectinate antennae, pronotum more enlarged at sides and the last urites not concave (Fanti et al. 2018; Fanti & Damgaard 2019).

Description. Adult, winged, robust. Sex undefined. Body length about 3.4 mm. Entirely brown with eyes darker (blackish).

Head short, transverse, very slightly triangulate behind the eyes, partially covered by the pronotum, fitted with shallow punctuation. Eyes prominent, elliptical-elongated, covering almost the entire lateral part of the head, inter-ocular dorsal distance about 1.8 times greater than the eye diameter. Mandibles elongated and thin. Maxillary palps 4-segmented with the last palpomere securiform and almost truncate anteriorly with rounded external margin. Labial palps 3-segmented, with the last palpomere securiform.Antennae 11-segmented, filiform, relatively short, reaching the half of elytra and almost reaching the half of abdomen, antennal insertion not particular close to the eyes and in the upper part of the head; scape very elongated, club-shaped, enlarged apically; antennomere II globular, short, and about 4.1 times shorter than scape; antennomeres III-X about 3.0 times longer than second; antennomere XI elongated with rounded apex; all antennomeres with very short pubescence. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, anterior margin slightly rounded and strongly bordered, posterior margin almost straight and bordered, sides almost straight and bordered and narrower near the apical part, posterior corners obtuse, pronotum disc with small and short pubescence. Scutellum triangular-shaped, rounded at apex. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongated, not covering the last two abdominal segments, parallel-sided, suture and sides strongly bordered, rounded at apex, surface with coarse punctuation gathered in longitudinal striae. Posterior wings transparent, covered by the elytra. Sternum sub-quadrate, ventrites transverse and pubescent, last tergite small and rounded, last ventrite small and slightly concave apically. Legs relatively robust, short, covered with short pubescence; coxae massive; trochanters elongated, with rounded apex; femora slightly curved, more robust than tibiae; tibiae thin, with an apical spur, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae as long as metafemora. Tarsal formula 5-5-5; first tarsomere elongated; second tarsomere about 1.9 times shorter than first; third tarsomere triangular-shaped; fourth strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat, curved; claws simple with an obtuse lobe.

Etymology. Named in honor of the Danish radio and television host Mads Foldberg Steffensen (Aalborg, 8 June 1970).

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, botanical remains, a specimen not well visible of Hemiptera.

Remarks. The amber piece has a teardrop shape and is flat. It measures approximately 30 x 15 mm. The inclusion is complete, but the ventral part is difficult to photograph because the surface of the amber has an extensive and thin patina.

Figures

Fig. 3. Elektrokleinia steffenseni sp. nov. ALDC0571/ALD.Bu.214 in Burmese amber. Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 4. Elektrokleinia steffenseni sp. nov. ALDC0571/ALD.Bu.214 in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum, bar = 0.2 mm; B: Holotype, detail of elytra, bar = 0.3 mm; C: Holotype, detail of last tergite, bar = 0.2 mm; D: Holotype, detail of last ventrites, bar = 0.2 mm.