104,842 research outputs found
Cantharis (Cantharis) michaeli FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI 2023, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Cantharis</i> (<i>Cantharis</i>) <i>michaeli</i> FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI sp. nov. <p>(Fig. 1)</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Female, based on short antennae, penultimate sternite wide, and last sternite small and rounded. Body length: about 9 mm. Body entirely dark brown.</p> <p>Head partially covered by pronotum, wide, transverse, wrinkled, with shallow punctuation. Eyes large, convex, prominent, located in upper lateral part of the head. Mandibles elongate, robust, falciform, without any tooth. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with the last palpomere securiform. Labial palpi 3-segmented. Antennae 11-segmented, short, reaching to about half of elytra, filiform, pubescent and adorned with sparse setae; scape very robust, club-shaped; antennomere II short, about 1.2–1.3 times shorter than scape; antennomere III filiform, elongate, about 1.1–1.2 times longer than second; antennomeres IV–VII subequal, slightly longer than antennomere III; antennomere VIII very slightly shorter and more slender than previous ones; antennomeres IX–X subequal, slightly shorter than previous one; antennomere XI long, slender, rounded at apex. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, equipped with scattered and long setae, anterior margin rounded slightly bordered, sides straight and bordered, posterior margin almost straight and strongly bordered, surface not flat and convex in the middle, anterior corners rounded, posterior corners very slightly pointed. Scutellar shield triangular with rounded apex, slightly pubescent. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongate, not covering the last abdominal segment, parallel-sided, equipped with sparse and very long setae, rounded at apex, surface smooth. Hind wings longer than elytra, infuscate. Sternum elongate, convex posteriorly, with pubescence. Abdominal ventrites transverse, equipped with very sparse and rather long setae, penultimate sternite wide and rounded, ultimate sternite and tergite very small and rounded. Legs covered with long pubescence, rather long and robust; coxae robust and rounded; trochanters very small, pointed apically; femora cylindrical and slightly compressed, rather straight; pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae as long as metafemora, tibiae curved and cylindrical with an evident spur at apex that is thin, pointed, and slightly curved. Tarsi 5-segmented, equipped with long setae; first tarsomere elongate, very robust; second tarsomere shorter than first tarsomere; tarsomere III slightly shorter than second, rather lobed at sides; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed; tarsomere V thin and elongate; claws simple with a small and obtuse basal tooth.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> Species named in honor of Michael Pankowski, older brother of the second author who inspired him to improve each day in mind, body, and spirit.</p> <p> <b>Holotype.</b> Female, inclusion in Rovno amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USNM PAL 787822. <b>Type locality.</b> Ukraine, Rivne Oblast (Rovno province), mine unknown.</p> <p> <b>Type horizon.</b> Upper Eocene, Priabonian stage (33.9–37.71 Mya).</p> <p> <b>Syninclusions.</b> Air bubbles, stellate hairs, and botanical remains.</p> <p> <b>Systematic placement.</b> The securiform last maxillary palpomere, filiform 11-segmented antennae, the pronotum without lateral lobes or teeth, third bilobed tarsomere, and the claws simple with a basal obtuse tooth reliably place the new species in the genus <i>Cantharis</i> and its nominotypical subgenus (Brancucci 1980; Constantin 2014).</p> <p> <b>Differential diagnosis.</b> No <i>Cantharis</i> has been documented from Rovno amber until this discovery. Ten species of <i>Cantharis</i> are known from Baltic amber (Fanti 2017; Fanti & Pankowski 2020), two as compression fossils from the Oligocene of Enspel, Germany (Fanti & Poschmann 2019), and seven from the Oligocene of Rott, Germany (Heyden & Heyden 1866; Fanti 2017; Fanti & Walker 2019). Furthermore, two species from the Miocene deposit of Oeningen, Germany, and one taxon from the Miocene deposit of Radoboj, Croatia (Heer 1847, 1865; Fanti 2017), are known.</p> <p> Among all these, the species most similar to <i>Cantharis michaeli</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is <i>Cantharis raeorum</i> Fanti & M. G. Pankowski, 2020. <i>C. raeorum</i> differs based on its smaller size at 5.8 mm, longer antennae, the second antennomere shorter and more globular, and its pronotum that is less convex in the middle (Fanti & Pankowski 2020).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> The piece of greenish yellow amber, shaped like a drop, measures approximately 40x22x 8 mm. The inclusion is complete. The surface of the piece has some oxidation.</p>Published as part of <i>Fanti, Fabrizio & Pankowski, Maximilian G., 2023, The first species of Cantharis from Ukrainian Rovno amber (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), pp. 293-297 in Zootaxa 5323 (2)</i> on pages 294-295, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5323.2.9, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/8204302">http://zenodo.org/record/8204302</a>
Cantharis (Cantharis) crisantha FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI 2020, sp. nov.
No full textCantharis (Cantharis) crisantha FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI sp. nov. (Figs. 1–3) Description. Adult, winged. Male, based on the long antennae and extruded aedeagus. Body entirely dark brown. Body length: 6.1 mm; elytra 5.0 mm; head and pronotum 1.1 mm, antennae 5.3 mm long. Head partially covered by pronotum, wide, with scattered long setae. Eyes large, convex, prominent, inserted in the upper-lateral part of the head, interocular dorsal distance about 3.3 times greater than eye diameter (Figs. 1, 2B). Mandibles elongate, slender, falciform, pointed apically, without any tooth. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with first palpomere short; second palpomere elongate and robust; third palpomere globular and slightly longer than first; last palpomere slender, elongate, securiform, pointed apically. Labial palp 3-segmented. Antennae 11-segmented, long, not reaching the apex of elytra, filiform, pubescent and adorned with sparse setae; scape short, very robust, club-shaped; antennomere II short, half the length of scape; antennomere III filiform, elongate, about 1.2 times longer than scape; antennomere IV slightly shorter than antennomere III; antennomeres V–VII subequal, slightly shorter and slightly more robust than antennomere IV (Fig. 2C); antennomeres VIII–IX longer than antennomere III; antennomere X shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI long, slender, rounded at apex (Fig. 2C). Pronotum transverse, almost 2.0 times wider than long, slightly wider than the head, equipped with scattered and long setae, anterior margin strongly rounded, sides rounded, posterior margin almost straight and slightly bordered (Fig. 2B), surface flat, anterior corners strongly rounded, posterior corners very slightly pointed. Scutellar shield triangular with rounded apex. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongate, covering and surpassing the last abdominal segment, parallel-sided, equipped with sparse and short setae, rounded at apex, surface smooth without any surface structure, suture and sides not bordered (Figs. 1A, 2A). Hind wings totally covered by elytra, infuscate. Sternum subquadrate, with shallow punctures, strongly rounded posteriorly. Abdominal ventrites transverse, slightly pubescent (Figs. 1B, 3). Legs covered with long pubescence, pro- and mesothoracic legs short, posterior pair of legs long; coxae robust and rounded; trochanters elongate with rounded apex; femora cylindrical and only slightly compressed, moderately curved; pro- and mesotibiae as long as pro- and mesofemora or a bit shorter, metatibiae shorter than metafemora, slender, slightly sturdier at apex, cylindrical. Tarsi 5-segmented, equipped with long setae; first tarsomere elongate, robust; second tarsomere shorter than first tarsomere; tarsomere III slightly shorter than second, inconspicuously lobed at sides; tarsomere IV short and strongly bilobed; tarsomere V thin and elongate; claws simple with very small and obtuse basal tooth. Aedeagus visible in its dorsal face (thus the parameres cannot be observed) with large dorsal shield that is emarginate and slightly hollowed at the margin, two elongated lateral sclerites (Fig. 3). Female unknown. Etymology. The specific epithet “ crisantha ” is an anagram of the genus name Cantharis. Derived from the Latin noun “ chrȳsŏs ” = gold (borrowed from the Ancient Greek χρῡσός / khrūsós) and thus also in reference to the coloration of the amber specimen. Holotype. Male, adult specimen in a Baltic amber piece: Catalog number MCZ: Ent:PALE-43614, in the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Harvard University. Type locality. Open pit mine (“Primorskoje”) in Yantarny (formerly Palmnicken), Baltic Sea Coast, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Type strata. Baltic amber, Eocene, Priabonian, Prussian Formation, “Blue Earth—Blaue Erde” sediment (age 38.0–35.6 million years). Syninclusions. Stellate hairs, botanical remains, gas vesicles (air bubbles), an ant, and a dipteran (Nematocera: Culicomorpha: Chironomidae). Systematic placement. The securiform last maxillary palpomere, laterally rounded pronotum, the filiform 11- segmented antennae, the shape of male genitalia, third bilobed tarsomere, and the simple claws with a basal tooth reliably place the new species in the genus Cantharis and its nominotypical subgenus (Brancucci 1980; Kazantsev 2018). Differential diagnosis. In addition to various specimens determined only at the generic level (Fanti 2017), currently seven other species of the genus Cantharis (Kuśka 1992, 1996; Fanti & Damgaard 2018, 2019; Kazantsev 2018; Kupryjanowicz & Fanti 2019), plus an undetermined specimen close to the living C. nigricans (Burmeister 1832), are known from Baltic amber. Cantharis (Cyrtomoptila) mikkelsenorum Fanti & Damgaard, 2018 is larger, while C. (s. str.) hoffeinsorum Kazantsev, 2018 and C. (s. str.) borki Fanti & Damgaard, 2019 are smaller, and all have different pronotal shapes compared to Cantharis crisantha sp. nov. In Cantharis (Cyrtomoptila) sucinokotejai (Kuśka, 1996), the pronotum is almost square. C. (s. str.) dougi Kupryjanowicz & Fanti, 2019 has a pronotum subrectangular, very transverse with straight lateral margins, while C. (s. str.) sucinonigra Kuśka, 1992 has a smaller head, a widely rounded pronotum, and different lengths of antennomeres II–V. The most similar species to C. crisantha sp. nov. in habitus is C. (s. str.) hanswerneri Kazantsev, 2018 but its antennomeres II–IV have very different lengths and its pronotal anterior margin is less rounded. Other species of Cantharis have been described as compression fossils from Enspel (Fanti & Poschmann 2019), Rott (Heyden & Heyden 1866; Fanti & Walker 2019), and Oeningen (Heer 1847, 1865) in Germany, as well as in Radoboj in Croatia (Heer 1847). Still others are known from compression fossils from Puy-Saint-Jean in France (Piton & Théobald 1936) and Randecker Maar in Germany (Schawaller 1986). Remarks. The golden yellow amber piece is rectangular and measures approximately 19 x 9 mm. The inclusion is complete and easily visible. The beetle’s legs are curled up, its abdomen is bent, and it has an extruded aedeagus in dorsal view.Published as part of Fanti, Fabrizio & Pankowski, Maximilian G., 2020, Two new species of Cantharis Linnaeus, 1758 from Baltic amber, pp. 401-411 in Zootaxa 4878 (3) on pages 402-405, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4878.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/442507
Silis (Silis) boninoi FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI 2022, sp. nov.
No full textSilis (Silis) boninoi FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI sp. nov. (Fig. 1) Description. Adult, winged, male. Body length: 2.7 mm; elytra: approximately 2.4 mm long, and 1.0 mm wide at apex. Entirely blackish-dark brown. Head large, slightly narrower than pronotum, smooth, equipped with several long setae, largely covered by pronotum. Eyes rounded and protruded, wide, inserted in upper and lateral part of the head. Maxillary palpi 4- segmented, unequal in length with last palpomere very elongated and securiform. Labial palps 3-segmented with last palpomere securiform. Antennal insertions and eyes not juxtaposed, antennae surpassing two-thirds of the elytra, 11-segmented, filiform, each antennomere covered with several setae; scape elongated, slightly club-shaped; antennomere II (pedicel) short, about 2.1 times shorter than scape; antennomeres III–V subequal in length, longer than antennomere II, rather robust; antennomeres VI–IX subequal in length, slightly longer than antennomeres III–V; antennomere X very slightly shorter and more slender than previous ones; antennomere XI filiform, oblong with extremely thin and pointed apex. Pronotum strongly transverse, surface undulating with concavities (pores) and equipped with sparse long setae, apparently without punctuation; anterior margin curved and protruding in the middle; sides strongly sinuous, with two very short processes on each side: Posterior processes are thicker and wider than anterior ones and rounded apically; anterior processes are shorter than posterior ones and rounded apically; posterior margin irregular and sinuous with two expansions in the middle. Scutellum triangular with rounded apex. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongated and surpassing last abdominal segments, enlarged at humeri and apex, restricted in middle, apex strongly rounded, surface with very superficial punctation and several very long setae. Posterior wings transparent, completely covered by elytra but just barely shorter than them. Metasternum very elongated with a strongly rounded posterior margin, abdominal segments transverse and pubescent. Legs relatively short, robust and strongly pubescent; coxae massive; trochanters elongated and triangular-shaped with rounded apex; femora enlarged and slightly curved; tibiae cylindrical, with one apical and robust spur, protibiae as long as profemora, mesotibiae slightly shorter than mesofemora, metatibiae just slightly shorter than metafemora. Tarsal formula 5-5-5; first tarsomere elongated; second tarsomere about 1.2 times shorter than first; third tarsomere triangular and shorter than tarsomere II; fourth tarsomere deeply bilobed at sides; fifth tarsomere very elongated, slender, flat and curved; claws simple without basal tooth. Note. Female unknown. The specimen is a male, defined on the basis of long antennae and lateral sides of pronotum toothed. Sexual dimorphism is supposed because females of the genus Silis are characterized by a pronotum with sides without appendages or with very small teeth, and have shorter antennae and a wider abdomen than males. Etymology. Named in honor of Enrico Bonino for donating the described specimen, photographing it and kindly giving us access to it. Holotype. Male, in Baltic amber, deposited at the Back to the Past Museum, Cancún, Mexico with accession no. BPM-1111. Type locality. Yantarny mine, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Type horizon. Middle Eocene: Bartonian-Priabonian (45.0–38.0 Mya). Syninclusions. A few botanical fragments (trichomes). Systematic placement. The specimen is clearly a new species belonging to the subfamily Silinae and to the genus Silis (Brancucci 1980; Kazantsev 1997) based on its maxillary palpi sub-equal in length with their last palpomere securiform, elytra elongated, tarsomeres IV wider than other tarsomeres, pores on the anterior part of the pronotum, the internal claw simple, tibial spurs conspicuous and the lateral section of its pronotum having two lobes on each side. Genera that appear most similar to Silis are distinguished by a few different characters. The genus Podosilis has a complex pronotal armature at the sides and a cleft outer claw in males (Kazantsev 1997, 2019, 2020). Autosilis features the anterior half of its mesonotum smooth without clear pores, and the anal ring in the male has a tergite and sternite that are roughly equally wide (Kazantsev 1997). Differential diagnosis. Silis boninoi sp. nov. differs from Silis lombardii Parisi & Fanti, 2019 (from Baltic amber) based on the new species’ pronotum that is much more transverse and with shorter pronotal lobes on its sides, and by the new species’ significantly smaller size: 2.7 mm vs. 5.2 mm for S. lombardii (Parisi & Fanti 2019). In addition, Silis chiapasensis Wittmer, 1963 (found in Mexican Chiapas amber) differs based on its pronotum that is deeply incised at the sides and its lobes that are more curved and longer than on the new species (Wittmer 1963). Finally, Silis curleri Fanti & M. G. Pankowski 2021 and Silis hegnai Fanti & M. G. Pankowski 2021 (both from Dominican amber) have a very different pronotal shape, with lobes that are longer and more curved, and a less transverse pronotum (Fanti & Pankowski 2021). The living and widely distributed species Silis ruficollis (Fabricius, 1775) has a pronotum with a lateral margin that is less toothed and indented compared to the new fossil species described here. Remarks. The yellow amber piece has an elongated drop shape and measures approximately 22x 11 mm. The inclusion is complete and well visible. Once trapped, the specimen struggled to get out of the sticky resin and thus created characteristic ripples (“fringes”) in the amber. A photo of this new species is included in Enrico Bonino’s forthcoming book on amber (Bonino, 2022), expected to be published in 2022.Published as part of Fanti, Fabrizio & Pankowski, Maximilian G., 2022, A new fossil Silis Charpentier, 1825 from Baltic amber (Cantharidae, Silinae, Silini), pp. 87-91 in Zootaxa 5195 (1) on pages 88-90, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5195.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/718066
Malthodes (Malthodes) markpankowskii M. G. PANKOWSKI & FANTI 2022, sp. nov.
No full textMalthodes (Malthodes) markpankowskii M. G. PANKOWSKI & FANTI sp. nov. (Figs. 3–4) Description. Adult, winged, male defined on the basis of the last urites strongly modified. Body length: 4.0 mm. Entirely blackish-dark brown without yellow spots on elytra. Head exposed, wide, rounded, covered by short setae. Eyes large, very prominent, convex, rounded, inserted in the lateral-upper part of head. Mandibles falciform, elongated. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with last palpomere globular and distally pointed. Labial palpi 3-segmented, with last palpomere globular and distally pointed. Antennae filiform, 11-segmented, relatively short as they only reach the apex of elytra and about half of abdomen; antennomere I elongated, slightly club-shaped (enlarged from the middle to the apex); antennomere II about 2.0 times shorter than antennomere I; antennomere III about 1.1 times longer than antennomere II; antennomeres IV–IX subequal in length, longer than antennomere III; antennomere X about 1.4 times shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI elongated, rounded at apex; all antennomeres covered by several long setae. Pronotum strongly transverse (approximately one third wider than long), as wide as head, surface almost flat and barely punctate (shallow punctation) with many short setae, sides straight and strongly bordered, posterior and anterior margin strongly bordered and very slightly enlarged/curved in the middle. Elytra short (revealing four tergites uncovered), wider than pronotum, covered with shallow punctation and several erect setae, parallel-sided, strongly rounded at apexes. Hind wings infuscate, exceeding the elytra and partially covering penultimate tergite but not the last one. Legs slender, pubescent; coxae short, stout; trochanters elongated with rounded apex; femora enlarged, slightly curved; tibiae cylindrical and thin, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae as long as metafemora. Tarsi 5-segmented, pubescent; tarsomere I thin, elongated; tarsomere II shorter than tarsomere I; tarsomere III shorter than second; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed; tarsomere V elongated, slightly curved, slender; claws simple without tooth. Metasternum with rounded posterior margin, covered with many dispersed, short setae. Sternites transverse and pubescent. Penultimate tergite (tg9) wide, subrectangular; last tergite (tg10) narrower than penultimate tergite, elongated, with apical margin rather deeply concave; last sternite (st9) very elongated, as narrow as last tergite, apically almost straight (very slightly emarginate). Aedeagus not visible. Female unknown. Etymology. Species named after Mark S. Pankowski, the big-hearted father of the first author. Holotype. Male, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USA, under catalog No. 775571. Type locality. Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Type horizon. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma). Syninclusions. Many stellate hairs, detritus, botanical fragments and air bubbles. Systematic placement. This new, extinct species clearly belongs to the subfamily Malthininae based on its last maxillary palpomere that is globular and pointed distally. Its rounded head behind eyes, filiform antennae and strongly modified terminalia place the new species in the genus Malthodes. Differential diagnosis. No sister group of Malthodes markpankowskii sp. nov. has been found living in the Baltic region or Central Europe, and no other fossil species of Malthodes has this combination of characters (in particular the shape of the terminalia) shown by Malthodes markpankowskii sp. nov. One fossil species that is vaguely similar is Malthodes neumanni Fanti, 2019 from Bitterfeld amber. It differs by the shorter last sternite (st9) with a more concave anterior margin (Fanti 2019), and by its shorter last tergite (tg10). The other slightly similar species is Malthodes meriae Fanti, 2018 from Baltic amber. Compared with the new species described here, M. meriae has a much smaller and shorter last tergite, as well as a last sternite with a more concave anterior margin (Fanti 2018). Remarks. The yellow rectangular amber piece measures approximately 26x13x 4 mm and weighs 1.2 grams. The inclusion is complete and clearly visible except for small areas around the head.Published as part of Pankowski, Maximilian G. & Fanti, Fabrizio, 2022, Two new fossil species of soldier beetles (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Malthininae) from Baltic amber, pp. 548-556 in Zootaxa 5165 (4) on pages 551-553, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/685400
Cantharis (Cantharis) raeorum FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI 2020, sp. nov.
No full textCantharis (Cantharis) raeorum FANTI & M. G. PANKOWSKI sp. nov. (Figs. 4–6) Description. Adult, winged. Female, based on transverse, rounded shape of last ventrite. Body entirely dark brown to black. Body length: 5.8 mm; elytra 4.7 mm; antennae 4.6 mm long. Head almost completely exposed, wide, slightly elongated anteriorly, with scattered and short setae. Eyes small, convex, prominent, inserted in the upper-lateral part of the head. Mandibles elongate, slender, falciform. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with first palpomere short; second palpomere elongate and robust; third palpomere globular and slightly longer than first; last palpomere robust and strongly securiform, with rounded tip. Labial palpi 3-segmented. Antennae 11-segmented, rather long, surpassing half of the elytra and not reaching the apex, filiform, adorned with some short setae plus a few other long setae especially near apices of antennomeres; scape elongate, robust, little club-shaped; antennomere II short, about 2.7–2.8 times shorter than the scape; antennomere III filiform, elongate, shorter than scape; antennomeres IV–VI sub-equal, longer than antennomere III and same length as scape; antennomeres VII–IX each very slightly shorter than previous one; antennomere X longer than antennomere IX; antennomere XI filiform, robust, rounded at apex (Fig. 5D). Pronotum elongate, longer than wide, narrower compared to head, equipped with scattered and long setae, anterior margin widely rounded and strongly bordered with the edge thick and apparent, lateral sides straight and bordered, posterior margin almost straight and not bordered, surface fairly flat except part adjacent to anterior margin and with transverse and concave line/part near posterior margin, all corners rounded (Fig. 5B). Scutellar shield triangular, very wide at base, rounded at apex. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongate, surpassing the last abdominal segment, parallel-sided, equipped with long setae, rounded apically, surface slightly rugose, sides slightly bordered especially at humeri (Figs. 4A, 5A). Hind wings completely covered by elytra except for apex, infuscate. Sternum subquadrate, rugose, posteriorly fairly straight (Figs. 4B, 5C). Abdominal ventrites transverse, slightly pubescent, last ventrite large, rounded and not triangular (Figs. 4B, 5C, 6). Legs long, slender, covered with numerous long setae, pro- and mesothoracic legs short, posterior legs long; coxae robust, globular, with rounded apex; trochanters elongate, with rounded apex; femora cylindrical, slightly curved; tibiae much shorter than femora, slender, cylindrical, slightly curved. Tarsi 5-segmented equipped with long setae; first tarsomere elongate, first pro- and mesotarsomere sturdier than first metatarsomere; second tarsomere shorter than first tarsomere; third tarsomere shorter than second, strongly lobed; fourth tarsomere robust and strongly bilobed; fifth tarsomere thin and elongate; claws simple with a very small and obtuse basal tooth (Fig. 4). Male unknown. Etymology. Species named after the Rae family—aunt, uncle, and cousins of the second author—who have touched numerous lives with their love, faith, and generosity. Holotype. Female, adult specimen in a Baltic amber piece: Catalog number MCZ: Ent:PALE-43615, in the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Harvard University. Type locality. Open pit mine (“Primorskoje”) in Yantarny (formerly Palmnicken), Baltic Sea Coast, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Type strata. Baltic amber, Eocene, Priabonian, Prussian Formation, “Blue Earth—Blaue Erde” sediment (38.0–35.6 MYA). Syninclusions. Stellate hairs, botanical remains, gas vesicles (air bubbles), a dipteran (Nematocera: Bibionomorpha), and an unidentified insect (possibly a neanid). Systematic placement. The securiform last maxillary palpomere, the 11-segmented antennae that are filiform, bilobed third tarsomere, and the simple claws with a small and obtuse basal tooth place the new species in the genus Cantharis and its nominotypical subgenus (Brancucci 1980; Kazantsev 2018). Differential diagnosis. The species that appears most closely related to Cantharis raeorum sp. nov. is Cantharis (s. str.) borki Fanti & Damgaard, 2019, which is tinier (4.5 mm), has different antennae (in particular, the antennomere X is shorter than previous ones IV-IX in C. borki, while the antennomere X of C. raeorum sp. nov. is slightly longer than the antennomere IX), and has the pronotum that is more concave in the middle part and less concave near the posterior margin (Fanti & Damgaard 2019). In addition, C. raeorum sp. nov. differs from Cantharis (Cyrtomoptila) sucinokotejai (Kuśka, 1996) based on the latter species’ simple claws without a basal tooth, and the pronotum that is almost square and fairly flat near the posterior margin (Kuśka 1996). Remarks. The yellow amber piece has a half-moon shape, measures approximately 13 x 7 x 4 mm, and weighs 0.2 grams.The inclusion is complete and easily visible. The beetle’s head, pronotum, and legs are bent.Published as part of Fanti, Fabrizio & Pankowski, Maximilian G., 2020, Two new species of Cantharis Linnaeus, 1758 from Baltic amber, pp. 401-411 in Zootaxa 4878 (3) on pages 405-409, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4878.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/442507
Malthinus (Malthinus) pauljohnsoni PANKOWSKI & Fanti 2023, sp. nov.
No full textMalthinus (Malthinus) pauljohnsoni sp. nov. (Fig. 5) Holotype. Female, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USNM PAL 787826. Syninclusions: Botanical fragments, stellate hairs, small air bubbles and a Diptera (with eggs). Etymology. Species named in honor of Dr. Paul Johnson, a professor at South Dakota State University who is always happy to provide his invaluable expertise on beetle taxonomy. Diagnosis. This species belongs to the genus Malthinus based on its globular and distally pointed last maxillary palpomere, the short elytra, head restricted behind the eyes and the elytra with impressed punctuation. Only three fossil species of Malthinus have been described so far, all from Baltic amber (Kuśka & Kania, 2010; Fanti & Damgaard, 2018; Pankowski & Fanti, 2022). Malthinus rifbjergi Fanti & Damgaard, 2018 and Malthinus danieli Kuśka & Kania, 2010 are the most similar to the new species described here, but they have the pronotum only narrower anteriorly (Kuśka & Kania, 2010; Fanti & Damgaard, 2018), where in Malthinus pauljohnsoni sp. nov. the pronotum is widely expanded before the posterior corners. Locality and horizon. Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad region, Russia. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma). Description. Female, defined on the basis of the short antennae and wide and rounded last sternite. Body length: about 4.9 mm. Body entirely dark brown without yellow spots on elytra. Adult, alate, slender. Head completely exposed, strongly narrowed behind eyes, very strongly wrinkled, with deep and wide punctation, interocular dorsal distance about 2.5–2.6 times greater than eye diameter. Eyes large, convex, rounded, located in the upper lateral part of head. Mandibles falciform, elongate, thin. Maxillary palpi 4- segmented, with last palpomere globular and apically pointed. Labial palpi 3-segmented, with last palpomere globular and apically pointed. Antennae filiform, 11- segmented, short, surpassing half of elytra but not reaching the elytral apex; antennomere I elongate, slightly club-shaped; antennomere II about 2.1 times shorter than antennomere I; antennomeres III–IX subequal, very slightly longer and slender than antennomere II; antennomere X very slightly shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI elongate, very slightly pointed; all antennomeres covered by short setae. Pronotum longer than wide, narrower than head, slightly punctate, equipped with short setae, anterior margin straight and strongly bordered, posterior margin undulate, sides with a wide expansion before the posterior corners.Scutellum wide with truncate apex, enlarged in the middle. Elytra short, revealing three and a half abdominal segments uncovered, wider than pronotum, covered with deep punctation (smaller punctation close to the elytral apex) in rows and some setae, parallel-sided, rounded at apex. Hind wings slightly infuscate, clearly exceeding elytra and slightly exceeding last abdominal segment. Metasternum with straight posterior margin, covered with dispersed and short setae and very shallow punctation. Sternites transverse with shallow punctation. Last tergite and last sternite wide and rounded. Legs slender, pubescent; coxae short, stout; trochanters elongate with rounded apex; femora enlarged, rather straight; tibiae cylindrical and thin, equipped with apical spurs, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae longer than metafemora. Tarsomere I thin, elongate; tarsomere II about 1.8 times shorter than tarsomere I; tarsomere III very short, rounded; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed; tarsomere V elongate, slightly curved, slender; claws simple without tooth. Male unknown. Remarks. The yellow amber piece measures approximately 18 × 13 × 10 mm. The inclusion is complete. The last tergites and ventral part of the head are covered with white emulsion.Published as part of PANKOWSKI, MAXIMILIAN G. & Fanti, FABRIZIO FANTI, 2023, Six new species of fossil soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from Eocene Baltic amber, pp. 300-312 in Palaeoentomology 6 (3) on page 306, DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.3.13, http://zenodo.org/record/820929
Malthinus (Malthinus) masoni M. G. PANKOWSKI & FANTI 2022, sp. nov.
No full textMalthinus (Malthinus) masoni M. G. PANKOWSKI & FANTI sp. nov. (Figs. 1–2) Description. Adult, winged, female defined on the basis of the short antennae and wide last sternite (not triangular shaped). Body length: 4.4 mm. Entirely dark brown-blackish without yellow spots on elytra, and with head and pronotum lighter brown and covered by black lines and marks. Head exposed, strongly narrowed behind eyes, very strongly rugose, with deep and wide punctation and very few setae. Eyes very large, prominent, convex, rounded, inserted in the lateral-upper part of head. Mandibles falciform, elongated, thin. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with last palpomere globular and distally pointed. Labial palpi 3-segmented, with last palpomere globular and distally pointed. Antennae filiform, 11-segmented, short, reaching and surpassing two thirds of elytra; antennomere I elongated and nearly as long as the sum of antennomeres II and III, club-shaped; antennomere II about 1.7 times shorter than antennomere I; antennomeres III-V about 1.3 times longer than antennomere II; antennomeres VI-X subequal in length, millimetrically shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI elongated, very slightly pointed; all antennomeres covered by short setae. Pronotum as wide as long, narrower than head, rugose, surface slightly undulate and deeply impressed punctate, equipped with short setae, sides straight and strongly bordered, posterior and anterior margin straight and strongly bordered. Elytra short (revealing three abdominal segments uncovered), wider than pronotum, covered with deep punctation and some erect setae, parallel-sided, strongly rounded at apex. Hind wings slightly infuscate, exceeding the elytra and covering last two abdominal segments. Legs slender, pubescent; coxae short, stout; trochanters slightly elongated with rounded apex; femora enlarged, rather straight; tibiae cylindrical and thin, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae longer than metafemora. Tarsi 5-segmented, pubescent; tarsomere I thin, elongated; tarsomere II about 1.5 times shorter than tarsomere I; tarsomere III very short, triangular-shaped; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed; tarsomere V elongated, slightly curved, slender; claws simple without tooth. Metasternum with rounded posterior margin, covered with many dispersed, very short setae and very shallow punctation. Sternites transverse and pubescent. Last tergite short, transverse, rounded apically; last sternite as wide as last tergite, rounded apically. Male unknown. Etymology. Species named after Dr. R. Bryan Mason, a gifted neurosurgeon in Maryland who operated on the first author’s mother and successfully removed her brain tumor. Holotype. Female, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, USA, under catalog No. 775570. Type locality. Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. Type horizon. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma). Syninclusions. Detritus, botanical fragments, air bubbles and a few stellate hairs. Systematic placement. The new, extinct species clearly belongs in the subfamily Malthininae based on its last maxillary palpomere that is globular and pointed distally. Characters including its triangular head behind the eyes, filiform antennae, long elytra and unmodified terminalia place the new species in the genus Malthinus. Differential diagnosis. No sister group of Malthinus masoni sp. nov. has been found living in the Baltic region or Central Europe, and no other fossil species of Malthinus exhibits the same characters as the new species. Malthinus masoni sp. nov. differs from the fossil species Malthinus danieli Kuśka & Kania, 2010 in its coloration: Malthinus danieli has a lighter pronotum with a black spot on the posterior half, and it has pale yellow-brown tibiae and dark femora (Kuśka & Kania 2010). The new species also differs by its pronotum with straight sides: The pronotum is narrower anteriorly in Malthinus danieli (Kuśka & Kania 2010). Compared to the new species described here, Malthinus rifbjergi Fanti & Damgaard, 2018 has a more transverse pronotum (1.5:1 vs. 1:1), as well as different lengths and slightly different shapes of its antennomeres (Fanti & Damgaard 2018). In the new species, for example, antennomeres II is shorter (in comparison to the other 10 antennomeres) and more club shaped than in Malthinus rifbjergi. Remarks. The yellow rectangular amber piece measures approximately 27x16x 5 mm and weighs 1.5 grams. The inclusion is complete and clearly visible. The amber piece has some superficial cracks.Published as part of Pankowski, Maximilian G. & Fanti, Fabrizio, 2022, Two new fossil species of soldier beetles (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Malthininae) from Baltic amber, pp. 548-556 in Zootaxa 5165 (4) on pages 549-550, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/685400
Malthinus (Malthinus) karenpankowskiae PANKOWSKI & Fanti 2023, sp. nov.
No full textMalthinus (Malthinus) karenpankowskiae sp. nov. (Figs 3, 4) Holotype. Female, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USNM PAL 787825. Syninclusions: A few small debris. Etymology. Species named in honor of Karen Pankowski, the fearless, caring mother of the first author. Diagnosis. The globular and distally pointed last maxillary palpomere, the short elytra, head restricted behind the eyes, and the elytra with impressed punctuation clearly place this taxon in the genus Malthinus. Only three fossil species of Malthinus have been described previously to this paper, all from Baltic amber (Kuśka & Kania, 2010; Fanti & Damgaard, 2018; Pankowski & Fanti, 2022). The new species described here is easily distinguished from these other Malthinus species by its strongly transverse pronotum with no expansion posteriorly or narrowing anteriorly. Locality and horizon. Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad region, Russia. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma). Description. Female, defined on the basis of wide and rounded last sternite. Body length: about 5.0 mm. Body entirely dark brown without yellow spots on elytra. Adult, alate, slender. Head completely exposed, strongly narrowed behind eyes, very wrinkled, with deep punctation, interocular dorsal distance about 3.5 times greater than eye diameter. Eyes convex, sub-elliptical, located in upper lateral part of the head. Mandibles falciform, elongate, thin. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with last palpomere globular-elongate and apically pointed. Labial palpi 3-segmented, with last palpomere globular and apically pointed. Antennae filiform, 11-segmented, short, reaching about half of the elytra; antennomere I elongate, slightly club-shaped; antennomere II about 2.1 times shorter than antennomere I; antennomere III slightly shorter and sturdier than antennomere II; antennomere IV longer than previous one; antennomeres V–X subequal, slightly shorter than previous one; antennomere XI elongate, very slightly pointed; all antennomeres covered by short setae. Pronotum strongly transverse, slightly wider than head, equipped with short setae and sparse punctation, anterior and posterior margins straight and bordered (anterior margin strongly bordered), sides straight, anterior corners slightly acute, posterior corners rounded. Scutellum triangular shaped, pointed apically. Elytra short, revealing four abdominal segments uncovered, wider than pronotum, covered with deep punctation in rows and short setae, parallel-sided, not dehiscent, rounded at apex. Hind wings slightly infuscate, exceeding elytra and not reaching last abdominal segment. Metasternum with slightly rounded posterior margin, covered with dispersed and short setae and very shallow punctation. Sternites transverse, wide, with shallow punctation and short pubescence. Last tergite and last sternite wide, small and rounded. Legs slender, pubescent; coxae elongate, stout; trochanters elongate with rounded apex; femora enlarged, rather straight; tibiae cylindrical and thin, equipped with apical spurs, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae longer than metafemora. Tarsomere I thin, elongate; tarsomere II about 2.0 times shorter than tarsomere I; tarsomere III short; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed; tarsomere V elongate, slightly curved, slender; claws simple without tooth. Male unknown. Remarks. The yellow squared amber piece measures approximately 9 × 9 × 8 mm. The inclusion is slightly bent but complete; the head and antennae are folded and some parts of the beetle are covered with white emulsion.Published as part of PANKOWSKI, MAXIMILIAN G. & Fanti, FABRIZIO FANTI, 2023, Six new species of fossil soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from Eocene Baltic amber, pp. 300-312 in Palaeoentomology 6 (3) on pages 304-306, DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.3.13, http://zenodo.org/record/820929
Podistra madelineae PANKOWSKI & Fanti 2023, sp. nov.
No full textPodistra madelineae sp. nov. (Fig. 2) Holotype. Female, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USNM PAL 787824. Syninclusions: Air bubbles, detritus and botanical fragments. Etymology. Species named in honor of Madeline Pankowski, the first author’s younger sister and valued partner in palaeontological projects. Diagnosis. The last maxillary palpomere securiform, the long elytra and the rectangular pronotum place this taxon in the genus Podistra. Based on the absence of the basal tooth of claws but with an obtuse enlargement, the species could be placed in the subgenus Pseudoabsidia. However, this subgenus has recently been synonymized with the subgenus Podistra (Kazantsev, 2023), and the taxonomy of the subgenera remains largely unclear. The new species is most similar to Podistra guthriei Fanti, 2021 but is significantly larger than that species (7.5 mm vs. 5.7 mm). Antennomeres III–V of the new species also are not subequal, unlike in P. guthriei (Fanti, 2021). Locality and horizon. Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad region, Russia. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma). Description. Female, defined on the basis of the short antennae and the last sternite small and rounded. Body length: about 7.5 mm. Head black, other body parts entirely dark brown. Head not completely exposed, wide, rounded, equipped with scattered short setae and without punctation. Eyes relatively small, rounded, located in upper lateral part of the head. Mandibles falciform. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, with the last palpomere securiform. Labial palpi 3-segmented with the last palpomere securiform. Antennae 11-segmented, filiform, short, surpassing the humeral region of the elytra, inserted close to the upper part of the eyes, all antennomeres pubescent with short and long setae; antennomere I elongate, club-shaped, enlarged apically; antennomere II short, slightly elongate, rather robust, about 2.4–2.5 times shorter than antennomere I; antennomere III about 1.4 times longer than antennomere II; antennomere IV robust, longer than previous one; antennomeres V–X subequal and shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI filiform, elongate, rounded apically. Pronotum longer than wide, rectangular, about as wide as head, surface slightly granulous and equipped with several setae and slightly bulged in the posterior part, anterior margin rounded and not bordered, posterior margin and sides straight and slightly bordered, propleura small and rounded. Scutellum very wide, triangular shaped, with apex slightly rounded, equipped with scattered setae. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongate, covering and slightly surpassing the last abdominal segments, surface slightly wrinkled and equipped with scattered and long setae, parallel-sided, rounded apically. Hind wings semitransparent, slightly longer than elytra. Legs short, relatively robust, densely pubescent; coxae robust, elongate, rounded apically; trochanters elongate with rounded apex; femora slightly enlarged, straight, cylindrical; tibiae thin, cylindrical, with apical spur that is short and robust, pro- and mesotibiae shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae slightly longer than metafemora. First tarsomere elongate and robust; second tarsomere shorter than first tarsomere; third tarsomere triangularshaped, with apical margin straight; tarsomere IV conspicuously widened, very shortly bilobed; tarsomere V thin, elongate, curved; claws simple without teeth but with an obtuse enlargement at base. Metasternum elongate, equipped with scattered long setae, rounded apically. Sternites transverse, wide, pubescent. Last sternite short, small, rounded. Male unknown. Remarks. The yellow, nearly square amber piece measures approximately 12 × 11 × 8 mm. The specimen is bent. One posterior leg is not preserved and the last sternite is partially covered by a white emulsion.Published as part of PANKOWSKI, MAXIMILIAN G. & Fanti, FABRIZIO FANTI, 2023, Six new species of fossil soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from Eocene Baltic amber, pp. 300-312 in Palaeoentomology 6 (3) on pages 303-304, DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.3.13, http://zenodo.org/record/820929
Malthodes (Libertimalthodes) betseyae PANKOWSKI & Fanti 2023, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Malthodes</i> (<i>Libertimalthodes</i>) <i>betseyae</i> sp. nov. <p>(Fig. 6)</p> <p> <b>Holotype.</b> Male, inclusion in Baltic amber, housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USNM PAL 787827.</p> <p>Syninclusions: Air bubbles (some quite large), botanical fragments and detritus.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> Species named after Betsey Kim, great aunt of the first author who spent her life teaching and inspiring hundreds of schoolchildren in Tallahassee, Florida.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> The globular and distally pointed last maxillary palpomere, the elongate and smooth elytra, the head rounded behind the eyes, the unmodified last abdominal segments, and the robust and large aedeagus place this species in the genus <i>Malthodes</i> and its subgenus <i>Libertimalthodes</i> (Brancucci, 1980; Fanti, 2019b).</p> <p> <i>Malthodes</i> (<i>Libertimalthodes</i>) <i>betseyae</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is similar to <i>M</i>. (<i>L</i>.) <i>elytratus</i> Kupryjanowicz & Fanti, 2019, but the new species differs in its slightly longer antennae, its pronotum transverse with sides straight, and by its last sternite not rounded at the sides and with a deeper central apical concavity (Kupryjanowicz & Fanti, 2019).</p> <p> <b>Locality and horizon.</b> Amber mine in the Yantarny settlement, Sambian Peninsula, Kaliningrad region, Russia. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8–41.2 Ma) to late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8–33.9 Ma).</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Male, defined on the basis of a small part of visible aedeagus. Body length: about 4.0– 4.1 mm. Body entirely dark brown without yellow spots on elytra.</p> <p>Head exposed, wide, rounded, slightly granulous with shallow punctation and several setae. Eyes large, rounded, located in upper lateral part of head. Mandibles not well visible. Maxillary palps 4-segmented, with the last palpomere globular and distally pointed. Labial palps 3-segmented with the last palpomere globular and pointed. Antennae filiform, 11-segmented, relatively long, slightly surpassing half the length of elytra; antennomere I club-shaped, robust, enlarged apically; antennomere II rather long, about 2.0–2.1 times shorter than scape; antennomere III slightly longer than second; antennomere IV slightly longer than third; antennomeres V–VI subequal, slightly longer and slightly thinner than previous one; antennomeres VII–X filiform, subequal, slightly shorter than previous ones; antennomere XI elongate, filiform, apically rounded; all antennomeres with several setae. Pronotum transverse, wider than head, surface flat, equipped with several short setae and with small and shallow punctation, anterior margin slightly rounded, posterior margin straight and bordered, sides straight, corners strongly rounded. Scutellum triangularshaped, rounded at apex. Elytra elongate, wider than pronotum, parallel sided, apex rounded, surface slightly granulous and equipped with scattered and long setae and without punctation. Posterior wings about as long as elytra, completely covered by elytra. Legs relatively short, rather robust, pubescent; coxae wide and rounded; trochanters elongate, rounded at apex; femora robust, subcylindrical, slightly curved; tibiae shorter than femora, cylindrical, thin, with spur at apex. Tarsomeres robust; tarsomere I elongate; tarsomere II about 1.8 times shorter than first; tarsomere III shorter than second, triangular shaped; tarsomere IV strongly bilobed with lobes curved; tarsomere V elongate and flat; claws simple without lobes or teeth. Metasternum with short pubescence and slightly granulous. Abdominal segments transverse, wide, with sparse and long setae, slightly granulous; ultimate sternite wide, robust, elongate, with sides not rounded and rather straight, apical margin with a small and deep concavity in the middle; last tergite barely visible, small. Aedeagus slightly extruded, large, wide, parameres– laterophyses elongate, enlarged and squared apically. Female unknown.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> The yellow amber piece, rounded and flat, measures approximately 12 × 11 mm. The inclusion is complete with the head and pronotum barely visible in ventral views, due to the presence of large air bubbles. The surface of the amber has numerous fractures.</p>Published as part of <i>PANKOWSKI, MAXIMILIAN G. & Fanti, FABRIZIO FANTI, 2023, Six new species of fossil soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from Eocene Baltic amber, pp. 300-312 in Palaeoentomology 6 (3)</i> on pages 307-309, DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.3.13, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/8209295">http://zenodo.org/record/8209295</a>
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