Oblongomorpha lutetia, Wappler, Torsten, 2003

Wappler, Torsten, 2003, New fossil lace bugs (Heteroptera: Tingidae) from the Middle Eocene of the Grube Messel (Germany), with a catalog of fossil lace bugs, Zootaxa 374, pp. 1-26 : 12-15

Oblongomorpha lutetia n. sp. ( Figs. 11 –16)

Derivatio nominis: The specific epithet is a reference to the Lutetian, the age of the fossil deposit in which it was found.

Holotype: A complete individual, dorsoventrally compressed, coll. Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg ( SMF), Frankfurt am Main ( Germany), specimen SMF MeI 10508 ( Fig. 11 – 12).

Paratypes: SMF MeI 6210 (dorsoventrally compressed), SMF MeI 6616 (laterally compressed), SMF MeI 8766 (laterally compressed).

Figure 12–16. 12, Dorsal habitus of holotype of Oblongomorpha lutetia (SMF MeI 10508); 13, Lateral habitus of paratype (SMF MeI 8766); 14, Detail of head and basal antennae structures (SMF MeI 6210) (black arrow indicates elongate antennal segment I); 15, Lateral habitus of paratype (SMF MeI 6616); 16, Tarsal structure of O. lutetia detailing bristle­like setae on the lower surface (white arrow) (SMF MeI 6616).

Dimensions (in mm): Body length 5.03, width 1.25; length of head (from apex of clypeus to posterior margin of pronotum) 0.59, width 0.66; interocular width 0.13; antennomeres 1–4: 0.59, 0.26, 2.36, 1.66; length of pronotum 1.83, width 0.96; procoxa 0.19 (SMF MeI 6616); length of fore leg (SMF MeI 6616): trochanter 0.16, femur 1.13, tibia 1.43; tarsus 0.23; length of middle leg (SMF MeI 6616): femur 1.23, tibia 1.13, tarsus 0.26; length of hind leg (SMF MeI 6616): femur 1.13, tibia 1.23, tarsus 0.26.

Type locality: Grube Messel near Darmstadt, grid square E89.

Stratigraphical and geographical distribution: Known only from the lower Middle Eocene (Lower Lutetian, ELMA Geiseltalian, MP11), Messel Formation; 1.25– 0.10 m under alpha.

Diagnosis: As for the genus (see above).

Description: Body surface areolate. Body oblong and slender, 4 times longer than wide, dorsal side of the body, legs, and antennae pale brown.

Head very short, protruding little in front of the antennal insertion, sharply declivent. Head without cephalic spines or tubercles. Vertex between eyes slightly elevated. Eyes globular, strongly projecting laterally of the head. Antennae long and thin, first antennal segment 3 to 4 times as long as second, 3rd prolonged, 4th clubbed and covered with dense setae. Labium short and not reaching the middle of the metasternum (e.g. SMF MeI 6210, 8766).

Pronotum 1.9 times longer as wide, areolate, with a ring­like vesicular at the anterior margin, broad (tectiform) in longitudinal direction, bearing two transverse rows of cells. Paranota absent. Triangular areolate posterior pronotal process is well developed, extremely elongated backwards along hemelytra covering whole clavi and approximately half of discoidal area. Pronotal disc perceptible convex (cyst absent!), with 3 longitudinal carinae. Median carina extending from calli to posterior margin. Lateral carinae parallel to median but only half as long. Anterior pronotal margin slightly concave.

Hemelytra (macropterous form) very long and extended much beyond abdominal apex, with distinctly carinated veins, separating the hemelytra in costal, subcostal, discoidal, and sutural areas. Outline of hemelytra distinctly sinuate about midlength, apical rounded. Costal area very narrow, for most of its length with two rows of small cells. Subcostal area also very narrow, for most of its length with two rows of small cells, in the apical third only with a single row of nearly rectangular cells. Discoidal area triangular in shape, occupying nearly 0.54 of hemelytron length, in the widest part with 4–5 rows of small cells. Clavi entirely concealed by the posterior pronotal process. Sutural area (membrane) in broadest place with 11–12 of angled cells, size of cells slightly increasing from the anterior margin to the apex of hemelytra. Tips of sutural areas of both hemelytra fully overlapping at rest.

Legs moderately long. Tarsi 2­segmented, with second segment definitely broader and longer than segment I. Upper surface of segment II slightly convex, lower surface flat and covered with bristle­like hairs.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Oblongomorpha lutetia gen. et sp. n., reconstruction of the holotype, (macropterous form), compression fossil; coll. Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg (SMF), Frankfurt am Main (Germany), specimen SMF MeI 10508; scale bar represents 1 mm.