Abstract
In this paper, we describe a new genus and species of soldier beetles from Burmese amber, Elektrokleinia picta gen. et. sp. nov., characterized by triangular shape of the head behind the eyes, by the elytra not covering two urites and the last urite being concave at its apex. Additionally, this new specimen shows remarkable color preservation (black-blue) on the elytra, rarely present in amber or seen on fossil soldier beetles. This coloration with metallic nuances is here considered an aposematic character.
References
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1917) Arthropods in Burmese Amber. American Journal of Science, Series 4, 44, 360–368.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1922) Fossils in Burmese Amber. Nature, 109, 713–714.
Cruickshank, R.D. & Ko Ko (2003) Geology of an amber locality in the Hukawng Valley, Northern Myanmar. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 21, 441–455.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1367-9120(02)00044-5
Fanti, F. (2017) Catalogo Cantharidae fossili del mondo. Fossils & Minerals Review, 2, 1–18 [abbreviated Italian version, available: 12 March 2017, World catalog of fossil Cantharidae. Fossils & Minerals Review, 2 (Special Issue), 1–52, extended English version. Available: 25 May 2017]
Fanti, F., Damgaard, A.L. & Ellenberger, S. (2018) Two new genera of Cantharidae from Burmese amber of the Hukawng Valley (Insecta, Coleoptera). Cretaceous Research, 86, 170–177.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.02.015
Fanti, F. & Ellenberger, S. (2016) Myamalycocerus vitalii: A new genus and species of soldier beetle in Burmese amber (Coleoptera Cantharidae). Cretaceous Research, 71 (2017), 166–169.
Fanti, F. & Ellenberger, S. (2018) A new fossil genus of soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber: A probable case of adaptive convergence. Cretaceous Research, 92, 201–204.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.08.009
Fanti, F. & Vitali, F. (2017) Key to fossil Malthininae, with description of two new species in Baltic amber (Coleoptera Cantharidae). Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 17 (1), 19–27.
Flach, K. (1907) Beiträge zur Käferfauna Calabriens. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 1907 (Heft 1), 15–17.
Grimaldi, D.A., Agosti, D. & Carpenter, J.M. (1997) New and Rediscovered Primitive Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Cretaceous Amber from New Jersey, and Their Phylogenetic Relationship. American Museum Novitates, 3208, 1–43.
Hsiao, Y. & Huang, C.-L. (2018) Taxonomic revision on the genus Ornatomalthinus Poinar and Fanti (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) with description of a new species from the Cretaceous Burmese amber. Cretaceous Research, 92, 257–263.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.08.018
Hsiao, Y., Ślipiński, A., Deng, C. & Pang, H. (2016) A new genus and species of soldier beetle from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Malthininae). Cretaceous Research, 69 (2017), 119–123.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2016.09.002
Imhoff, L. (1856) Versuch einer Einführung in das Studium der Koleoptern.In zwei Theilen und einem, 25 Tafeln lithographirter Abbildungen nebst Text enthaltenden, Anhange. Auf Kosten des Verfassers. Schweighauser, Basel, xxxi + [2] + 114 + [2] + 272 pp., 25 pls.
Jell, P.A. (2004) The fossil insects of Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 50 (1), 1–124.
Jell, P.A. & Duncan, P.M. (1986) Invertebrates, mainly insects, from the freshwater, Lower Cretaceous, Koonwarra Fossil Bed (Korumburra Group), South Gippsland, Victoria. Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists, 3, 111–205.
Jordan, T.M., Partridge, J.C. & Roberts, N.W. (2014) Disordered animal multilayer reflectors and the localization of light. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11 (20140948). [published online]
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0948
Kazantsev, S.V. (2010) New Malthodes (Insecta: Cantharidae: Coleoptera) from the Rovno Amber (Upper Eocene of Ukraine). Russian Entomological Journal, 19 (2), 105–107.
Kazantsev, S.V. & Perkovsky, E.E. (2019) The first Cretaceous beetle from Azerbaijan: Katyacantharis zherikhini gen. et sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from Cenomanian Agdzhakend amber. Palaeoentomology, 2 (1), 7–12.
Kirejtshuk, A.G. & Azar, D. (2013a) Results of study of Coleoptera (Insecta) from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber. The 6th International Congress on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber, Abstract Book, Byblos, Lebanon, 14–18 April, 2013, 60. [Oral].
Kirejtshuk, A.G. & Azar, D. (2013b) Current knowledge of Coleoptera (Insecta) from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber and taxonomical notes for some Mesozoic groups. Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews, 6, 103–134.
Kuśka, A. (1992) Three new species of beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae, Anobiidae, Curculionidae) from the Baltic amber. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum, Entomology, 3, 107–113.
Kuśka, A. & Kania, I. (2010) New soldier beetles (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from the Eocene Baltic amber. Zootaxa, 2400, 49–56.
Leach, W.E. (1815) Entomology. In: Brewster, D. (Ed.), The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia; or dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature. Vol. IX. Part I. William Blackwood, Edinburgh, pp. 57–172. [1830]
Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae, 823 pp.
Märkel, J.C.F. (1852) Remarques. In: Kiesenwetter, E.A.H. von, Énumération des coléopteres trouvés dans le midi de la France et en Catalogne. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Series 2, 9, pp. 577–656, 1 pl. [1851]
Motschulsky, V. de (1858) Entomologie spéciale. Insectes du Japon. Études Entomologiques, 6, 25–41, 1 pl. [1857]
Noetling, F. (1892) Preliminary Report on the economic resources of the Amber and Jade mines area in Upper Burma. Records of the Geological Survey of India, 25, 130–135.
Peris, D. & Fanti, F. (2018) Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., the oldest Laurasian soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber. Cretaceous Research, 91, 263–268.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.07.003
Poinar, G.O. Jr. & Fanti, F. (2016) New fossil soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) in Burmese, Baltic and Dominican amber. Palaeodiversity, 9, 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.18476/pale.v9.a1
Prudic, K.L., Skemp, A.K. & Papaj, D.R. (2006) Aposematic coloration, luminance contrast, and the benefits of conspicuousness. Behavioral Ecology, 18 (1), 41–46.
Sagegami-Oba, R., Takahashi, N. & Oba, Y. (2007) The evolutionary process of bioluminescence and aposematism in cantharoid beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) inferred by the analysis of 18S ribosomal DNA. Gene, 400, 104–113.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2007.06.004
Shi, G., Grimaldi, D.A., Harlow, G.E., Wang, J., Wang, J., Yang, M., Lei, W., Li, Q. & Li, X. (2012) Age constraint on Burmese amber based on U–Pb dating of zircons. Cretaceous Research, 37, 155–163.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2012.03.014
Stuart, M. (1923) Geological Traverses from Assam to Myitkyina, through the Hukong Valley; Myitkyina to Northern Putao; and Myitkyina to the Chinese Frontier. Records of the Geological Survey of India, 54, 398–411, pl. 29.
Zhang, Q., Mey, W., Ansorge, J., Starkey, T.A., McDonald, L.T., McNamara, M.E., Jarzembowski, E.A., Wichard, W., Kelly, R., Ren, X., Chen, J., Zhang, H. & Wang, B. (2018) Fossil scales illuminate the early evolution of lepidopterans and structural colors. Science Advances, 4 (4), e1700988.
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700988