Amplectister Caterino & Maddison

Caterino, Michael S. & Maddison, David R., 2018, An early and mysterious histerid inquiline from Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 733, pp. 119-129 : 120-121

Amplectister Caterino & Maddison gen. n.

Type species.

Amplectister tenax Caterino & Maddison, sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Many features distinguish this extinct genus: overall body form quite elongate and flattened (Figs 2-4); frons laterally carinate and projecting over the antennal insertions (Figs 5-6); pronotum with sinuate posterior margin and broadly arcuate lateral margin that is not aligned with the elytral margin (Fig. 3); elytron with two submarginal epipleural carinae (diverging from the posterior pronotal corner; Fig. 4); abdomen deeply concave (Fig. 2); posterior femora and tibiae enlarged and adapted for grasping (Figs 4, 10).

Derivation of name.

The genus name (masculine) means 'the hugging Hister’, referring to its modifications for grasping, from the Latin amplexus.