Podistra (Absidia) mattheseni, Fanti & Damgaard, 2020

Fanti, Fabrizio & Damgaard, Anders Leth, 2020, Fossil soldier beetles of the Anders Damgaard amber collection. Fourth update, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 20 (2), pp. 125-139 : 129-131

Podistra (Absidia) mattheseni sp. nov.

( Figs. 5 - 6 )

Holotype. Male, in Baltic amber, accession No. ALDC0566 /ALD. Ba.Can. 27

Type locality. Russia, Kaliningrad Region, Sambian Peninsula, amber quarry near Yantarny (previously known as Palmnicken).

Type horizon. Middle Eocene (Lutetian) (47.8- 41.2 MY) to Late Eocene (Priabonian) (37.8-33.9 MY). Prussian Formation.

Differential diagnosis. Kazantsev (2020) says that the genera Podistra and Lycocerus are difficult to determine, especially in fossils. This aspect is certainly and undoubtedly the reality, but evidently it would be for all the species described in these two genera (i.e., Fanti & Damgaard 2018, 2019; Kazantsev 2018, 2020; Fanti 2020; present work) and not the dubious generic attribution only for Podistra (Absidia) kloevedali Fanti & Damgaard, 2018 as in Kazantsev (2020). For a taxonomic shift we need valid and convincing arguments, not visible in fossils (the aedeagus for example). Podistra kloevedali Fanti & Damgaard, 2018 has, in particular, a pronotum identical to the living Podistra and not present in Lycocerus , character of the pronotum that Kazantsev himself highlights in the text of an article ( Kazantsev 2018) to be diagnostic. The doubt of congenericity and / or a possible synonymy with Lycocerus christelae Kazantsev, 2018 suggested by Kazantsev (2020) for the evident and deep differences in the pronotum, in the size and in the length of the antennomeres, should be totally rejected.

Podistra mattheseni sp. nov. is tentatively assigned to the subgenus Absidia for the claws with tooth at the base ( Constantin, 2014). This new species is distinguishable from the others fossil Podistra and Lycocerus by the whole pronotal shape and especially for the slightly sinuous sides, and the slightly pointed posterior corners.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Male, defined on the basis of the long antennae and the last triangular-shaped ventrite. Body length 5.2 mm. Entirely dark brown - blackish.

Head partially exposed, slightly pubescent, covered with some granules. Eyes very large, prominent, roundish, inserted in the lateral-upper part of the head, inter-ocular dorsal distance about 2.1 times greater than the eye diameter. Mandibles thin, elongated, falciform. Maxillary palps 4- segmented with the last palpomere securiform. Labial palps 3-segmented with the last palpomere elongated and securiform. Antennae 11-segmented, long, surpassing the half of elytra and not reaching the apex, filiform, with scattered setae; scape robust, cylindrical; antennomere II short, globular, one-third as long as scape; antennomere III about 2.7 times longer than antennomere II; antennomere IV slightly longer than antennomere III; antennomeres V-IX filiform, very elongated, subequal; antennomeres X-XI thinner than previous ones; antennomere XI very slightly longer than antennomere X, and with rounded apex. Pronotum longer than wide, rectangular (typical of Podistra ), slightly wider than head, equipped by a long and erected pubescence and a very small punctuation, surface irregular, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin almost straight, sides slightly sinuous and slightly concave in the middle, posterior corners very slightly pointed, margins bordered, propleura roundish. Scutellum triangular, elongated. Elytra much wider than pronotum, elongate, covering the last abdominal segments, equipped by numerous sparse setae and small punctuation, parallel sided, with rounded apex. Posterior wings covered by elytra and visible only at the apex. Metasternum elongated, sub-rectangular. Ventrites transverse with short pubescence, last ventrite small and triangular-shaped. Legs long, pubescent; coxae short, robust; trochanters elongated with rounded apex; femora enlarged, slightly curved externally; tibiae thin, cylindrical, pro- and mesotibiae very slightly shorter than pro- and mesofemora, metatibiae as long as metafemora. Tarsi 5-segmented; first tarsomere thin and elongated; second tarsomere about 1.8 times shorter than first tarsomere; third tarsomere shorter than the previous one; fourth strongly bilobed at sides; fifth tarsomere thin, flat and very elongated; claws simple with small tooth at the base. Female unknown.

Etymology. Named in honor of the Danish standup comedian, actor, and rapper Anders Matthesen, pseudonym “Anden (The Duck)” (Copenhagen, 6 July 1975).

Syninclusions. Botanical remains, very few (twothree) and small air bubbles.

Remarks. The amber piece is sub-quadrate, and measures approximately 23 x 21 mm. The view of the inclusion is perfect, and only the right front leg is missing.

Figures

Fig. 5. Podistra (Absidia) mattheseni sp. nov. ALDC0566/ALD.Ba.Can.27 in Baltic amber.A: Holotype, dorsal view, bar = 1.0 mm; B: Holotype, ventral view, bar = 1.0 mm; C: Holotype, detail of elytral apex and claw, bar = 0.2 mm; D: Holotype, detail of last ventrites, bar = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 6. Podistra (Absidia) mattheseni sp. nov.ALDC0566/ALD.Ba.Can.27 in Baltic amber. A: Holotype, detail of head and pronotum, bar = 0.5 mm; B: Holotype, detail of head and palps (lateral view), bar = 0.3 mm; C: Holotype, detail of left antenna, bar = 0.5 mm; D: Holotype, detail of tarsomeres and last tergite, bar = 0.2 mm.