Sanaungulus morellii, 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 : 135-137

Sanaungulus morellii sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 - 12 )

Holotype. Male, in Burmese amber, accession No. ALDC0568 /ALD.Bu.211

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

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

Differential diagnosis. Sanaungulus morellii sp. nov. differs from Sanaungulus ruicheni ( Hsiao & Huang, 2018) , for the pronotum more transverse, the last ventrite long and triangular-shaped, and for the last tergite with elongated lobes, as well as the sturdier antennae.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male, defined on the shape of the last urites and on the basis of the short antennae. Body length 4.0 mm. Entirely brown.

Head transverse, strongly constricted (triangular-shaped) behind the eyes, fitted with very scarce and very shallow punctuation. Eyes prominent, very large, roundish, inserted in the lateral part of the head, inter-ocular dorsal distance about 3.0 times greater than the eye diameter. Mandibles elongated and thin. Maxillary palps 4-segmented with the last palpomere securiform. Labial palps 3-segmented, with the last palpomere slightly securiform. Antennae 11- segmented, filiform, almost globular, short and slightly surpassing the humeral zone of the elytra, antennal insertion in the eyes proximity; scape elongated, stout, curved; antennomere II very short, globular, about 3.2 times shorter than scape; antennomeres III-X filiform, almost globular, short, stout, enlarged; antennomere XI rounded at apex and thinner than previous ones; all the antennomeres with dense and very short pubescence. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, anterior margin rounded and bordered, posterior margin almost straight and bordered, sides slightly sinuous, posterior corners acute, pronotum disc smooth and lustrous. Scutellum triangular-shaped, posteriorly in a long and thin tip, rounded at apex. Elytra very short which reveals various abdominal segments, wider than pronotum, humeral zone large, posteriorly narrower and parallel-sided, rounded apexes, surface slightly pubescent with punctures arranged in longitudinal striae. Posterior wings transparent and slightly surpassing the elytra. Sternum sub-quadrate and pubescent, ventrites narrow and transverse, last tergite with a small central tip and with a lobe on each side which is elongated and very thin and apically divergent, last ventrite very small and rounded apically. Legs thin, pro- and mesolegs short, metathoracic legs long and covered with pubescence; coxae massive; trochanters elongated, with rounded apex; femora nearly straight, more robust than tibiae, cylindrical; tibiae slightly flattened, thin, without spur near the apex, pro- and mesotibiae almost as long as pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae longer than metafemora. Tarsal formula 5-5-5; first tarsomere long, almost as long as the second; third tarsomere short; fourth strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere elongated, thin, flat and curved; claws simple, without denticle at the base.

Etymology. Named in honor of Alessio Morelli (Pianella, Abruzzo, Italy), expert on Psychodidae , and an excellent naturalistic designer.

Syninclusions. Botanical remains, air bubbles, insect leg, and a dypteran.

Remarks. The amber piece measures approximately 18 x 7.5 mm. The inclusion is complete and well visible.

Figures

Fig. 11. Sanaungulus morellii sp. nov. ALDC0568/ALD.Bu.211 in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 0.5 mm; B: Holotype, ventral view, bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 12. Sanaungulus morellii sp. nov.ALDC0568/ALD.Bu.211 in Burmese amber.A: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum, bar = 0.3 mm; B: Holotype, detail of elytra and legs, bar = 0.5 mm; CD: Holotype, detail of last tergites, bars = 0.2 mm.