Sanaungulus strungei, 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 : 113-114

Sanaungulus strungei sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 - 12 )

Holotype. Sex undefined, in Burmese amber, accession No. ALDC0535 /ALD.Bu.207

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

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

Differential diagnosis. No fossil species of soldier beetles show the antennae with the antennomeres III-X with long rami.

Description. Adult, winged, sex undefined. Head brown, pronotum and scutellum testaceus, elytra brown, antennae and legs testaceous-brown. Body length: 4.2 mm (however, head is slightly folded).

Head small, partially covered by the pronotum, anteriorly rounded, slightly triangular behind the eyes (difficult to see because folded), without punctation and pubescence. Eyes small, rounded, convex, prominent, inserted in the upper part of the head. Mandibles not well visible. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented, palpomeres unequal in length, third palpomere elongate, last palpomere securiform and flat with apex strongly rounded. Labial palpi 3-segmented. Antennae 11-segmented, pectinate, quite long, reaching the apex of elytra and about half of the body, antennal insertion in proximity of the eyes; scape stout, elongate, club-shaped; pedicel filiform, short, rounded, robust; antennomeres III-IV, pectinate, elongate, robust, cylindrical, equipped with a very long and filiform antennal process inserted ventrally and near the base, apex with an obtuse and flat denticle/expansion at side; antennomeres V-X about 0.3 times shorter than antennomere IV, each equipped with a very long and filiform process inserted ventrally and near the base, with an obtuse and flat denticle at side; antennomere XI filiform, about 2.8 times longer than antennomere X, elongate, pointed at apex, without antennal process; all antennomeres and antennal processes with small setae. Pronotum transverse, slightly convex, wider than head, surface smooth equipped with short setae, anterior margin almost straight and strongly bordered, posterior margin bordered, posterior corners strongly rounded. Scutellum triangular-shaped, rounded apically. Elytra as wide as pronotum, very short which reveals various abdominal segments, parallel-sided but narrowed at apex, surface strongly rugouse with punctation in striae. Posterior wings surpassing the elytra and not reaching the last abdominal segments. Metasternum elongate, ventrites transverse. Legs short, quite robust, equipped with several short setae; coxae short; trochanters elongate; femora very robust, slightly curved; tibiae thinner than femora, cylindrical, about 0.8 times shorter than femora, with apically a spur; tarsal formula 5-5-5, with the first tarsomere robust; second tarsomere slightly shorter than first; third tarsomere very short; fourth tarsomere bilobed; fifth elongate, flat, slightly enlarged apically; claws simple.

Etymology. In memory of the Danish poet Michael Strunge Jensen (Hvidovre, 19 June 1958 - Copenhagen, 9 March 1986). Dedicates that the Danish poet Caspar Eric suggested to us.

Syninclusions. Few small pieces of debris, one frustule of wood, air bubbles.

Remarks. The amber measures 10 x 12 x 6 mm. The inclusion is complete and visible but transparency is not exceptional and some parts are slightly covered by emulsion (palpi, head) or bubbles and stretch marks. The head is folded.

Figures

Fig. 11. Sanaungulus strungei sp. nov. ALDC0535/ALD.Bu.207 in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorso-lateral view, bar = 1.0 mm; B: Holotype, detail of pronotum and scutellar shield, bar = 200 μm; C: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum, bar = 200 μm; D: Holotype, detail of elytra, bar = 500 μm.

Fig. 12. Sanaungulus strungei sp. nov. ALDC0535/ALD.Bu.207 in Burmese amber. A: Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 500 μm; B: Holotype, detail of antenna, bar = 400 μm; C: Holotype, detail of legs, bar = 200 μm; D: Holotype, detail of eye and last maxillary palp, bar = 200 μm.