A new soldier beetle of the extinct tribe Cacomorphocerini Fanti & Kupryjanowicz, 2018

Abstract

A new fossil Cacomorphocerus Schaufuss, 1892 from Baltic amber, i.e., Cacomorphocerus coleae sp. nov. is described. Related to C. eocenicus Bukejs, Fanti & McKellar, 2019, the new species is characterized by 12 antennomeres that are little modified, with antennomere VI saucer-shaped and asymmetrical, antennomere V enlarged and antennomeres VII and VIII squarish and sub-rectangular. The slightly modified antennae of some species of Cacomorphocerus confirm a relationship with the genus Sucinorhagonycha Kuśka, 1996. Therefore, given the synapomorphy of the antennae, Sucinorhagonycha is transferred from the tribe Cantharini Imhoff, 1856 to Cacomorphocerini Fanti & Kupryjanowicz, 2018 (new placement).

A new fossil soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) of the genus CacomorphocerusSchaufuss, 1892 from Baltic amber

“…The terminal antennomeres were always elongate. Species of Cacomorphocerus had 12 articles, with the third to nineth saucer-shaped, with two species recently described with the antennomeres 5-8 slightly modified (BukejS et al 2019;Fanti & pankowSki 2019). The genus Sucinocantharis KuśKa & Kania, 2010 has 16 articles with the third to tenth saucer-shaped and widened.…”

“…The body size of these genera ranges between 5. & kupryjanowicz 2018;BukejS et al 2019;Fanti & pankowSki 2019) while Sucinorhagonycha KuśKa, 1996 is smaller with a size of 4.5 mm (KuśKa 1996;. Cacomorphocerus endecacerus sp.…”

“…So, now the tribe Cacomorphocerini is characterized by species with 11-19 antennomeres, and the genus Cacomorphocerus is characterized by species with 11-12 antennomeres. Recently, the genus Sucinorhagonycha KuśKa, 1996, which has a fili form or slightly toothed 12-seg-mented antennae (KuśKa 1996; Fanti & M. K. PanKowsKi 2018), has been transferred to the tribe Cacomorphocerini (Fanti & pankowSki 2019), and this, combined with the new Cacomorphocerus with 11 saucer-shaped antennomeres, suggests and confirms as evidenced by Fanti & pankowSki (2019) that the tribe originates with individuals with a basic antenna of 11 filiform segments, although we cannot totally exclude that it may be polyphyletic. While with the new species, the tribe is more difficult to define, it appears to be a unique and extinct lineage characterized by supernumerary antennomeres, which currently remain in only two genera (see Remarks).…”

“…Helicon Focus Pro X64 was used to stack photos for better clarity and depth of field. 2019), with the addition of Cacomorphocerus coleae Fanti & m. k. pankowSki, 2019 which, in addition to the number and shape of antennomeres, differs from C. endecacerus sp. nov. in having slightly smaller dimensions, a more elongate pronotum with rounded corners that is concave in the middle and a straight anterior margin (Fanti & pankowSki 2019).…”

“…Cantharids from the latter deposits were cataloged, along with detailed references, by Fanti (2017a). Recent new fossils have been described from Baltic amber by Fanti (2017bFanti ( , 2017cFanti ( , 2018Fanti ( , 2019b, Fanti & caStiglione (2017), Fanti & kupryjanowicz (2017Fanti & kupryjanowicz ( , 2018, Fanti & vitali (2017), , Fanti & michalSki (2018), Fanti & m. j. pankowSki (2018), ), kazantSev (2018, BukejS et al (2019), Fanti & Sontag (2019), kupryjanowicz & Fanti (2019), and pariSi & Fanti (2019a, 2019b Fanti & pankowSki 2019). The genus is highly variable, especially regarding the antennal and pronotal shapes.…”