A new tribe, genus and species of the tenebrionid subfamily Lagriinae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from the Eocene Baltic amber.

Abstract

A new genus and species are described from the Eocene Baltic amber: Archaeoluprops groehni gen. et sp. nov. This fossil darkling beetle of the subfamily Lagriinae (Tenebrionidae) is externally similar to species of the tribes Lupropini and Goniaderini having the robust pubescent body and estriate elytra, but differs in the absence of intersegmental membranes between abdominal ventrites 3-5 (tentyrioid hinging) and accordingly the primary absence of defensive glands. Combination of plesiomorphic and apomorphic characters and other differences from all extinct and extant lagriine tribes allows to establish the new tribe Archaeolupropini trib. nov. (type genus Archaeoluprops), which is probably a basal group in relation to the non-basal clade Lagriini-Chaerodini-Lupropini-Pycnocerini-Goniaderini-(probably Gonialaenini) + Laenini. All Baltic amber lagriine tribes are absent in extant faunas of middle latitudes of Europa.