Glesirhanis bercioi, Shockley, Floyd W. & Alekseev, Vitaly I., 2014

Shockley, Floyd W. & Alekseev, Vitaly I., 2014, Glesirhanis bercioi, a new genus and species from Baltic amber (Coleoptera: Endomychidae: Leiestinae) with a checklist and nomenclatural notes regarding fossil Endomychidae, Zootaxa 3755 (4), pp. 391-400 : 393-396

Glesirhanis bercioi sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–2 )

Description. Body length = 2.5 mm; width (at widest point) = 1 mm. Highly elongate habitus; dorsal and ventral surfaces, head, and appendages are dark brown, almost black ( Fig. 1 ). Head, pronotum and elytra conspicuously but variably punctate.

Head with coarse, sparse punctation; eyes large, prominent. Frontoclypeal ridge weakly arcuate. Antennae relatively long, extending to base of elytra; 11-segmented with loose, conspicuous 3-segmented club ( Fig. 2 A). Antennomere length proportions according to the formula: 2.0: 1.3: 1.3: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.7: 1.7: 2.0. Antennomeres 3–11 distinctly pubescent. Antennomeres 9–11 twice as wide as antennomere 8, as wide as long. Terminal antennomere subconical and narrowing apically. Maxillary palpomeres 3 and 4 only visible; palpomere 3 approximately twice as wide as 4; palpomere 4 conical, weakly rounded apically, 2.3 times as long as palpomere 3. Pronotum weakly convex, transverse, 0.71X as long as wide; disc coarsely and moderately densely punctate; interspaces 1.5–2.0X puncture diameter. Lateral sulci clearly visible, triangular in form; basal sulcus distinct and deep medially, becoming indistinct laterally ( Fig. 2 C). Lateral margins of pronotum arcuate from anterior margin to midlength, weakly convergent just beyond midlength, and subparallel at posterior angles. Anterior pronotal angles appearing obtuse when viewed dorsally, posterior angles nearly right-angled ( Fig. 2 C). Prosternal process partially obscured ventrally, but apparently narrow, short. Procoxal cavities externally open, internally closed.

Elytra elongate, moderately convex, shining; disc coarsely, densely punctate, punctures lacking visible pubescence; punctures forming irregular rows, interspaces 1.0–2.0X, denser medially, sparser laterally. Sutural striae present, fine, entire (running from base to apex). Scutellum visible, highly transverse (about 2 times wider than long), widely rounded apically ( Figs. 1 A, 2C). Mesoventrite bicarinate, mesocoxa circular in outline, trochantin concealed. Mesoventral process boat-shaped, subequal in width to mesocoxal cavity diameter.

Legs ( Fig. 2 B) with tarsal formula 4-4-4. Femur subclavate, sparsely punctate. All tibiae simple (without any angulations or projections), but conspicuously curved basally with short spines apically. Tarsomere 1 small but distinct; tarsomere 2 weakly lobed ventrally. Tarsal claws simple.

Abdomen with five ventrites ( Fig. 1 B). Ventrite 1 longer than V2 and V3 combined; V2 slightly longer than V3; V3 and V4 subequal in length; V5 1.5 times longer than V4. Apex of terminal tergite widely rounded. Unfortunately, the reproductive system is obscured, making definite sexual determination impossible.

Material examined. Holotype: Nr. AWI-035. Sex unknown. Locality data are as follows: Russia: Kaliningrad region: the Sambian [Samland] peninsula: Yantarny village [formerly Palmnicken].

Type strata. Baltic Amber. Upper Eocene, Prussian Formation (Priabonian). Estimated age: 37.2–33.9 my.

Type Depository. The type is currently housed in the private collection of the second author, Vitaly I. Alekseev (Kaliningrad, Russia), but will be deposited in the Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Science (Moscow) for permanent preservation.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym for Dr. Hans Bercio, an Eastern Prussian coleopterologist and one of the authors of the last catalogue of beetles of the former Eastern Prussia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Glesirhanis bercioi Shockley & Alekseev, sp. nov. A. Dorsal habitus. B. Lateral habitus.

FIGURE 2. Glesirhanis bercioi Shockley & Alekseev, sp. nov. (punctures and setae not illustrated). A. Left antenna. B. Left metathoracic leg. C. Head, prothorax and scutellum.