Damzenium Kazantsev et Bocak, 2022

Kazantsev, Sergey V. & Bocak, Ladislav, 2022, New genus of erotine net-winged beetles, Damzenium gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Lycidae), from Eocene Rovno amber, Zootaxa 5154 (5), pp. 583-589 : 584-586

Genus Damzenium Kazantsev et Bocak gen. nov.

Type species: Damzenium rivnense Kazantsev et Bocak sp. nov.

Description. Male. Body compact, dorso-ventrally flattened, elongate ( Figs 1A–F ). Head transverse, slightly exposed from pronotum. Eyes moderately large, spherical. Antenna 11-segmented, relatively short, robust, antennomeres only slightly flattened and feebly dentate; pedicel (antennomere 2) slightly longer than wide, ca 2.5 times shorter than antennomere 3, antennomere 3 subequal in length to antennomere 4 and subsequent antennomeres; pubescence on antennomeres 3–11 short and decumbent ( Figs 1A, F ).

Pronotum transverse, almost straight anteriorly, with complete narrow median and somewhat zig-zagged transverse lateral carinae; posterior angles acute ( Figs 1A–C ). Scutellum triangular, rounded at apex ( Figs 1A–C ). Elytra elongate, flattened, with three distinct costae on the dorsal surface, with double rows of cells in their interstices; humeral elytral costa (costa 3) stout in all its length, costa 1 weakened in distal fourth; last elytral interstice (lateriad of humeral costa) wide, ca. 2 times wider than interstices 1–3, with three to four unclear rows of elytral cells, i.e., longitudinal costa 4 is weak and partly indistinct; elytral pubescence relatively short and decumbent ( Figs 1A–F ). Metathoracic wings presumably fully developed.

Legs relatively short and robust; femurs and tibiae straight, subequal in length, slightly widening distally; tarsomeres 2–4 slightly widened; claws simple ( Fig. 1A ).

Abdomen with semicircularly incised penultimate ventrite.

Diagnosis. Damzenium gen. nov. may be distinguished from Protolopheros and Pseudaplatopterus , from Baltic amber, by the stout elytral costa 3 (counting from the suture), which is robust in its entire length compared to only basally stout costa 4 in Protolopheros and Pseudaplatopterus ( Fig. 2K ), and by Damzenium ’s regular elytral reticulation with even rows of round cells in interstices, which differs from the irregular elytral reticulation in Protolopheros ( Figs 1A, 1E , 2K ). The new genus also differs from all the extant genera of Erotini , which are characterized by the equally developed elytral costae. Damzenium gen. nov. has a different arrangement of elytral costae, including the much stouter humeral costa ( Figs 1A, 1E ). Such a robust primary costa 3 has not been known in Erotini , and therefore, this species cannot be attributed to any extant genus and deserves to be described as a new genus.

Etymology. The new genus is named in honour of Mr. J. Damzen (Vilnius, Lithuania), who generously gave us the opportunity to study this remarkable amber specimen. Gender neuter.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Damzenium rivnense gen. et sp. nov. A—general appearance, dorsal view, B, C—pronotum and humeral part of the elytra, D, E—posterior and humeral part of the right elytron; F—general appearance, lateral view. Scales 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 2. A—J. Morphology of the extant Erotinae. A—Eropterus sp., Japan, general appearance, dorsal view; B–D— elytron, humeral part. B—Eropterus sp., Japan; C—Benibotarus spinicoxis (Kiesenwetter), Japan; D—Lopheros sp., Japan. E— G—Pronotum. E—Eropterus trilineatus (Melsheimer), USA, dorsal view; F—Lopheros sp., Japan; G—Benibotarus spinicoxis (Kiesenwetter), Japan. H– J General appearance, dorsal view. H—Helcophorus miniatus Fairmaire, Himalayas; I—Greenarus belokobylskyi Kazantsev, Vietnam; J—Laterialis sanguinea Kazantsev, China. Eocene Erotini. K—Protolopheros hoffeinsorum Kazantsev, Baltic amber (photo from Kazantsev, 2013). Scales 0.5 mm.