New taxa of soft-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera, Malachiidae) in Baltic and Rovno amber

Abstract

Two new genera and three new species of soft-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera, Malachiidae) are described from Rovno and Baltic Eocene amber. Protocephaloncus gen. nov. with the type species P. perkovskyi sp. nov. was found in the Rovno amber. It differs from its congeners in the tribe Troglopini in the primitive sculpture of the male facial area as a longitudinal narrow depression between the eyes lacking an appendage inside, and two trapezoid impressions on both sides of the depression closer to its lower part. A transverse pronotum, slightly rounded, but not sinuate posteriorly, is also a diagnostic feature of the new genus. A new genus of the tribe Attalini, Palpattalus gen. nov., was found in the Baltic amber. The tarsal comb on the anterior second tarsomere of the male, complicatedly curved pygidium, and cylindrical apical palpomere allow the definite attribution of the genus to the tribe Attalini. The characteristically enlarged, rounded and slightly flattened 1st palpomere, possessing a long seta directed outward, of the new genus resembles similar structures found in members of the tribe Colotini, all males of which have modified and enlarged 3rd and 4th palpomeres. Probably, Palpattalus gen. nov. represents an ancestral form for these two tribes. This allows the establishment of independent status for Antholinus Mulsant and Rey, 1867 stat. resurr., with anterior tarsi in males lacking comb on the second tarsomere, in contrast to all other subgenera of Attalus Erichson, 1840. Males of two different species, Palpattalus baltiensis sp. nov. and P. eocenicus sp. nov., were found as inclusions in Baltic amber. They differ in the coloration of the elytra, yellow with black spots in Palpattalus baltiensis sp. nov. and unicolorous black in P. eocenicus sp. nov.; the shape of pygidia, longitudinal and strongly elongated in P. baltiensis and transverse and rounded in P. eocenicus, and in a number of other characters.