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Issue: Vol. 6 No. 4: August 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-08-28
DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.4.12
Page range: 416–423
Abstract views: 242
PDF downloaded: 178

Two new species of soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from Eocene Baltic amber, including one with a rare type of antennae

16405 Fox Valley Terrace, Rockville, Maryland 20853, USA
Coleoptera Cantharidae palaeoentomology antennomeres new taxon fossilized resin

Abstract

Two new species of the family Cantharidae from Baltic amber are described and illustrated: Sucinorhagonycha fabrizioi sp. nov. (Cantharinae, Cacomorphocerini) and Cantharis (Cantharis) samsocki sp. nov. (Cantharinae, Cantharini). The former is particularly notable because it has 12 antennomeres, a characteristic that is relatively rare among the world’s extant beetles, particularly in soldier beetles. This fascinating characteristic and why it may have evolved are explored here.

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