Margin Of Pronotum Research Articles

New silken fungus beetle species (Coleoptera, Cucujiformia, Cryptophagidae) from Rovno amber

Based on a fossil specimen from the late Eocene Rovno amber, Cryptophagus vorontsovi sp. nov. is described. The new species is similar to Cryptophagus harenus Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2012 differing by the pronotum distinctly narrowed basally and the lateral pronotal margin unidentate medially. The endemic composition of Rovno amber coleopterofauna is discussed. Only 15% of more than 90 Rovno amber beetle species are known also from Baltic amber.

The first fossil of a tenebrionoid taxonomic enigma: Agnathus Germar (Coleoptera: Pyrochroidae: Agnathinae) in Bitterfeld amber, with remarks about age and geographic origin of the fossil

ABSTRACT Based on an inclusion in Bitterfeld amber, the first extinct species of the subfamily Agnathinae (Pyrochroidae) is described and illustrated. Agnathus groehni sp. nov. differs from two extant congeners in having the smaller body size; transverse W-shaped groove near posterior pronotal margin; the unicolourous black body and the elytral pubescence uniform without tomentose pattern. As demonstrated herein, the genus Agnathus is morphologically stable over at least 23 Ma years and inhabited the Western Palaearctic already in the Palaeogene. Zoogeography of extant species, palaeobionomy of the extinct species and difficulties in its reconstruction, as well as age and origin of Bitterfeld amber, are briefly discussed.

Trapezioceps longelytrum, a new genus and species of soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar

A new genus and species of the beetle family Cantharidae, Trapezioceps longelytrum gen. et sp. nov., is described from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. The new genus can be attributed to the subfamily Cantharinae and the tribe Cantharini based on its unmodified pronotal margins, well-developed elytra, the maxillary palpomeres different in length to the last securiform segment, tibial spurs present and symmetrical caudal segments. The new genus mainly differs from the other genera of Cantharini due to its trapezoidal head, serrate antennae, trapezoidal pronotum, and long elytra completely covering the abdomen.

The genus Vates Burmeister, 1838, in French Guiana, with the description of two new species (Mantodea, Mantidae, Vatinae)

Vates marmorata n. sp. and Vates patrinata n. sp. (Mantidae, Vatinae) are described from French Guiana. The new species are close to V. biplagiata and V. festae, all exhibiting strong tubercles along pronotal margins but differing in male genital structures. Description, images, and measurements of anatomical parts are presented, along with distributional, natural history, and DNA barcoding data. A key to species of Vates known in French Guiana is formulated. This study highlights the value of DNA barcoding in disclosing hidden diversity in Mantodea, especially when coupled with traditional taxonomic tools.

Parelateriformius from the Middle–Late Jurassic of China reinterpreted as the earliest Dascillidae (Coleoptera: Dascilloidea)

The elateriform genus Parelateriformius Yan & Wang from the Middle–Late Jurassic Daohugou beds has been placed previously in the extinct Lasiosynidae or the extant Eulichadidae. Our reinvestigation of the type specimens and additional materials suggests that the character combination of Parelateriformius (e.g., tarsomeres 2–4 distinctly lobed, posterior pronotal margin crenulate, radial cell short and with truncate base, and metakatepisternal suture complete) is not accordant with either Lasiosynidae or Eulichadidae. Instead, it should belong to the family Dascillidae and appears closely related to the extant Petalon. A new species of Parelateriformius is also described, as P. grimaldii Li & Cai sp. nov. Our discovery highlights the antiquity of Dascillidae, which is consistent with the recent fossil-calibrated molecular dating of beetles.

A new fossil genus and species of Coreoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new genus Megaoptocoris gen. nov. and two new species of the fossil coreoid family Yuripopovinidae, Megaoptocoris punctatus sp. nov., and M. similis sp. nov. are described based on two well-preserved specimens from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber from northern Myanmar. The new genus is similar to Yuripopovina Azar et al., 2011, the type genus of Yuripopovinidae, and also has unique morphological characters such as large eyes and parts of the pronotal margin laminate. The main diagnostic characters of Yuripopovinidae are discussed, and the emended diagnosis is proposed.

A new fossil genus of minute-clubbed beetles (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Monotomidae) from Paleogene amber of Europe

ABSTRACT A new genus and species of Monotomidae, Rovnoeurops mckellari gen. et sp. nov., placed in the tribe Europini, is described and figured from Late Eocene Rovno amber. An extinct monotomid genus is documented in Cenozoic amber for the first time. Rovnoeurops gen. nov. can be distinguished from 27 extant genera of Europini by the combination of the following characters: distinct, short pubescence of dorsum, neck constriction behind eyes absent, short temples, stout antennae, 2-segmented antennal club, finely crenulate lateral pronotal margins, pronotum with median impression, regular elytral punctation, long femoral lines and intercoxal process of abdominal ventrite 1 widely rounded.

<p><strong>First thaneroclerid beetle from Cretaceous Charentese amber (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Thanerocleridae)</strong></p>

Thanerocleridae is a small family of predaceous cleroid beetles with a cosmopolitan distribution. Here we describe a new genus and species, Mesozenodosus insularis gen. et sp. nov., from early Cenomanian Charentese amber from the Fouras deposit, Charente-Maritime department in south-western France. The new genus belongs to the relictual subfamily Zenodosinae represented in the Recent fauna by a single Nearctic species, Zenodosus sanguineus (Say). Mesozenodosus gen. nov. can be differentiated from Zenodosus and the two fossil zenodosine genera from the approximately contemporaneous Burmese amber by its smaller body size, more elongate body, non-carinate pronotal margins, and apical antennomere with an oval depression. The new fossil confirms a wider diversity and distribution range of Zenodosinae in the mid-Cretaceous than in the present day and provides further evidence of the relictual status of the subfamily.

Termitotrox icarus sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): a new termitophilous beetle from Myanmar with observations of carrying behavior by host termites

A new species of scarab beetle, Termitotrox icarus sp. nov., is described from central Myanmar, being the third representative of the genus Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 from the Indo-Chinese Subregion of the Oriental Region. The majority of the type series was collected from the walls of fungus garden chambers built in the nests of the termite Odontotermes proformosanus Ahmad, 1965. Termitotrox icarus sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from the known Termitotrox as it possesses wing-shaped trichomes on the elytra, the more elongate habitus shape in dorsal view, the basomedian section of pronotum not protruding backwards, a pair of distinct costae on the pronotal basomedian section strongly developed, a median costa on anterior pronotal margin strongly developed, the elytral striae narrower than interstriae, the lack of trichomes at the base of elytral sutural stria, and a mid-range body length of 1.5–1.9 mm. The ‘carrying behavior’ by the host termites is reported for the first time for Termitotrox and a strategy for the dispersal of flightless termitophilous scarabs is hypothesized.

Mitochondrial sequence data clarify species concepts in the Cyclocephala mafaffa species complex (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini)

The speciose genus Cyclocephala Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) has attracted research attention due to their diversity, agroeconomic importance, and floral visitation habits. Uniquely among Cyclocephala species, C. mafaffa Burmeister and C. deceptor (Casey), two nearly identical species, are diagnosed by a pronotal character: beaded or not beaded basal pronotal margin. We evaluated these morphological species hypotheses with a phylogenetic analysis of 12S and COI, neighbor-joining analysis, and several single-locus species delimitation procedures (automatic barcode gap analysis and three Poisson tree processes analyses). Together, these analyses supported the species concepts for C. deceptor and C. mafaffa. Delimitation procedures supported several distinct molecular operational taxonomic units among these taxa. We consider the separation of C. deceptor and C. mafaffa to be valid. We conservatively synonymize the West Indian subspecies C. mafaffa grandis Burmeister under C. mafaffa and offer a discussion on subspecific concepts in Cyclocephalini. We designate the lectotype of Stigmalia deficiens Casey. Implications of this study for other geographically widespread cyclocephalines or species with variable pronotal morphology are discussed.

Cladistic analysis of Cnemalobus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), fossorial adaptations and description of a new species

The genus Cnemalobus Guérin-Ménéville can easily be distinguished from other southern South American carabids by its large number of umbilicate setae. Recent expeditions reveal the existence of a new species that has more than 170 umbilicate setae in the margin of pronotum and 180–240 in the umbilical elytral series. In addition, it has a second medial protibial tooth unique in the genus. These characters would be related to a strong fossorial adaptation by this new species. In this contribution, we describe the new species of Cnemalobus, locate it into a key for the species of the genus, and analyze the phylogenetic relationships and the fossorial adaptations of the entire genus related to the habitat condition.

A new species of the genus Criotettix Bolivar (Orthoptera:Tetrigoidea:Scelimenidae) from Zhejiang, China.

A new species of the genus is described from Zhejiang, China in this paper. The new species Criotettix zhejiangensis sp. nov. is similar to Criotettix strivertexoides Zheng, Wei Li, 2009, but differs in antennae placed the lower margin of eye, head exserted above the pronotal surface, lateral keels in prozona slightly contracted backward, upper margin of pronotum not waved in lateral view, width of tegmen 1.2 times width of mid leg femur and lower side of hind femur not black. The new species is also similar to Criotettix strivertex Zheng, Wei Li, 2009, it differs from latter by head exserted above the pronotal surface, upper margin of pronotum not waved in lateral view, lower side of mid femur straight, width of tegmen 1.2 times width of mid leg femur and length of hind femur 3.1 times its width. The type specimens are deposited in the College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China.

Description of a new species of Rhinocoeta Burmeister, 1842 (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae) from the South African Northern Cape.

Rhinocoetanamaquasp. nov. is recognised as a separate species from its closest relative, R.cornuta (Fabricius, 1781) after a review and close analysis of specimens recently collected in the semiarid region of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The new species can be readily separated from R.cornuta by the drastically reduced tubercle and associated depression on its anterior pronotal margin, particularly in the male. In addition, the general body shape of R.namaqua is more globose than that of R.cornuta, its average total length is larger, and its elytral costae are generally reduced and poorly visible, particularly at the level of the umbones. These characteristics make it practically impossible to separate the two sexes of R.namaqua, without inspection of the internal reproductive organs, as their external morphologies are virtually identical, unlike in R.cornuta. Finally, the aedeagal parameres of R.namaqua exhibit a narrower apex than those of R.cornuta and, in particular, lack the subapical hook-shaped lateral expansions that are so typical of all the other Rhinocoeta s. str. species. The new species appears to be restricted to specific bioregions of the Succulent and Nama Karoo biomes of the Northern Cape, and like all other species of the genus is generally found on or under mammal herbivore dung. Adult activity is limited to short periods immediately after rainfall events, during which individuals fly around and mate, but do not feed on either fruits or flowers.

First description of sound emission of Rhaphiptera affinis Thomson, 1868 (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Pteropliini).

Cerambycidae is one of the largest families of beetles, containing about 38,000 described species (Tavakilian Chevillotte 2018). In most species of this family, adults possess a stridulatory device that allows them to produce squeaking sounds (Wang 2017). In the subfamilies Prioninae and Parandrinae, individuals stridulate by rubbing their ridged hind femora against elytral margins (Švácha Lawrence 2014). In the other subfamilies, including Lamiinae, the stridulation is produced by friction between the ventral face of the posterior pronotal margin (plectrum) and a striated plate on the mesoscutum (pars stridens) (Švácha Lawrence 2014). Although some adults produce sounds during courtship and copulation, this sound production occurs mainly when individuals are disturbed, being considered a defensive mechanism that might act as a startle response against predators (Dumortier 1963; Švácha Lawrence 2014; Wang 2017).

Gibbocicada brasiliana, new genus and new species from Brazil and a key for the genera of Tibicinini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae)

Abstract Four examined specimens from Brazil, Ceará, with morphological characteristics belonging to Tibicinini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) revealed an undescribed genus and species. Gibbocicada brasiliana gen. et sp. nov., representing the first record of Tibicinini in Brazil, is recognized mainly for the head three times shorter than pronotoum in dorsal view, the lateral ocelli almost reaching the anterior margin of pronotum, the pronotum and mesonotum pronounced dorsally in lateral view, and the fore wings with the median and cubitus anterior veins rising from the same point in the basal cell. A key to the genera of Tibicinini is presented.

Contributions to the palaeofauna of Ptinidae (Coleptera) known from Baltic amber.

Hemicoelus favonii sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber. This new fossil species differs from extant congeners in having 11-segmented antennae; a metathoracic ventrite with large impression in its anterior portion; a pronotum distinctly narrower than the elytral base region; the posterior suture of abdominal ventrite 1 weakly arcuate medially; sharp lateral pronotal margins that are incomplete and distinct in their basal half only; elytral striae that are not grouped in pairs; posterior pronotal angles that are rounded; elytral intestriae 3, 5, 7 and 9 that are distinctly convex; and a comparatively small total body size. The presence of Hemicoelus in Baltic amber suggests that moist, rotting wood was available as a microhabitat in the ancient forest. Beyond the new species description, the systematic placement of Anobium jacquelinae Hawkeswood, Makhan & Turner is discussed. A new fossil record for Microbregma waldwico Bukejs & Alekseev, and the first report of the genus Trichodesma LeConte from Eocene Baltic amber are also presented.

The head of Heterogyrus milloti (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae) and its phylogenetic implications

Head structures of Heterogyrus milloti Legros, 1953 are described in detail and documented with different morphological techniques, including μ-computed tomography and computer-based 3D reconstructions. The results are compared with cephalic conditions found in other gyrinid taxa and the observed characters are interpreted and analysed phylogenetically. Nine unambiguous cephalic apomorphies support the monophyly of Gyrinidae. In addition to well-known characters like the subdivided compound eyes and highly modified antennae, this includes the very tight connection of the dorsal surface of the head with the anterior pronotal margin, the presence of a clypeofrontal gland, the separation of a lateral portion from the clypeus, and the loss of the dorsal tentorial arm. Unambiguous synapomorphies of Heterogyrus and Gyrininae sensu Miller and Bergsten (2012) are the relatively widely separated dorsal and ventral ocular subunits, the absence of tactile setae on the head capsule, the shortened mesal mandibular edge, widely separated mandibular incisivi, three rows of setae on the labrum, the enlargement of the lateral mental lobes, and the loss of the stipital muscle attached to the galea. The monophyly of Gyrininae (excl. Heterogyrus) is supported by the widened bridge between the dorsal and ventral ocular subunits, the reduced size and dorsal shift of the dorsal eye, its distinct separation from the anterior pronotal margin, the detachment of the lateral frontal ridge from the supraocular bead, the almost completely reduced setation of the antennal flagellum, and a one-segmented galea. The steep frontal side of the head, a transverse regular field of setae on the frontal region, and the fused laminatentoria are autapomorphies of Spanglerogyrus Folkerts, 1979. A field of sensilla on the interocular antennal groove is a potential cephalic autapomorphy of Heterogyrus. The cephalic characters we analysed remain ambiguous about the interrelationships among the three tribes currently recognized in Gyrininae.

A new genus of silken-fungus beetle (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae) from the Spanish Cretaceous amber

The Cretaceous new species and genus Albocryptophagus cantabricus gen. et sp. n. is described based on a fossil specimen from the El Soplao amber deposit (Spain). The new genus is similar to the extant genera Cryptophagus and Micrambe, but differs from them in the transverse pedicel, anterior angles of pronotum, pronotal margin unmodified, pronotal pits absent. Albocryptophagus gen. n. is undoubtedly the most ancient representative for the subfamily Cryptophaginae described up today. Because the saproxylic habits in recent species of the family, a similar behavior is inferred for this new fossil. It is a new example that agrees with the idea that fossil beetles from Mesozoic ambers are characterized by a saproxylic lifestyle.

Qingryllus jiguanshanensis sp. n. from Sichuan, China, the second species of Qingryllus (Orthoptera, Gryllidae)

A second species of Qingryllus Chen & Zheng is described and illustrated, Q. jiguanshanensis sp. n., from Sichuan, China. This new species is similar to Q. striofemorus Chen & Zheng, 1995, but differs from the latter by the posterior margin of pronotum being distinctly widened, the veins of tegmina yellowish-white only on lateral side of dorsal area, and the epiphallus distinctly widened posteriorly. A distribution map of the species of this genus and habitus photographs of the new species are presented.

Electrolichas circumbalticus gen. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea:Ptilodactylidae) from Baltic amber, the first anchytarsine toed-winged beetle described from Europe.

A new genus and species of Ptilodactylidae, Electrolichas circumbalticus gen. et sp. nov., the first fossil representative of the subfamily Anchytarsinae, is described from Baltic amber. This Eocene beetle can be distinguished from the extant genera of Anchytarsinae by the combination of the following characters: labrum transverse, terminal segment of maxillary palps cylindrical, antennae with non-articulated rami, basal pronotal margin only very finely crenulate, lacking a median denticle, anterior margin of scutellum not excised medially, elytra not striate, tarsi not pseudotetramerous, proportional lengths: 1.5: 1.2: 1.2: 1.1: 1.5, flashy pads on apex of first tarsomere as well as on tarsomeres 2-4. A list of the extant species of Anchytarsinae is provided. Both hitherto described fossil ptilodactylid genera are briefly discussed.