A new species of the extant spider family Anapidae is described from a fossil mature male in Eocene amber from the Baltic region and tentatively assigned to the genus Balticoroma Wunderlich, 2004. Phase contrast X-ray computed micro-tomography was used to reveal important features that were impossible to view using traditional microscopy. Balticoroma wheateri new species is easily diagnosed from all other anapids by having clypeal extensions that run parallel to the ectal surface of the chelicerae and in having the metatarsus of the first leg highly reduced and modified into what is presumably a y-shaped clasping structure. Although only a single extant anapid species occurs in northern Europe, the family was diverse in the Eocene. The discovery of yet another anapid species in Baltic amber supports the idea that Eocene European forests may have been a hotspot of evolution for this family of spiders.
Lonchodryinus groehni sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea: Dryinidae) is described from Baltic amber. The new species is close to L. balticus Olmi & Guglielmino, 2012, but it can be distinguished for the different OPL/POL ratio and 2r-rs&Rs vein of the fore wing. A key to the fossil species of Lonchodryinus and a comparison with the extant species L. ruficornis (Dalman, 1818) are presented.
Species of the megadiverse ground beetle tribe Platynini occur on all continents except Antarctica. It has been long recognized that platynine beetles were preserved in the Eocene Baltic amber. However, thus far only a single Eocene fossil has been described to the species level. In the present paper, a new species of Platynini known only as an amber inclusion fossil is described and imaged using light microscopy and micro X-ray computed tomography. Since this species cannot be assigned to any of the recently described genera, the monotypic genus Praeanchodemus gen. n., with the type species P. punctaticeps sp. n., is erected. There is some evidence from external morphology that Praeanchodemus gen. n. is part of a lineage comprising the recent genera Paranchodemus, Rhadine, and Tanystoma. However, since some synapomorphies were not found, the true relationships of the fossil taxon remain moot.
A new species of the extinct scydmaenine genus Euroleptochromus Jałoszyński (Mastigitae: Leptochromini), E. tuberculatus Yin & Cai, sp. nov., is described from Eocene Baltic amber. It can be separated from the two previously known congeners by the different proportions of the body parts and spination of the profemur, and more importantly, lack of an elongate postgenal process of the head. Our finding demonstrates for the first time a notable variability of the postgenal structures within Euroleptochromus.
An unusual new omaliine species, Anthobium alekseevisp. nov., is described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber, tentatively placed in the megadiverse genus Anthobium Leach, 1819. A new monotypic species-group is established. The new species can easily be distinguished from other species of the genus by the larger body, shape of the subrectangular pronotum, and the presence of a median carina on the prosternum and large, subtriangular tooth on the inner side of each mesotibia, likely exhibiting a peculiar sexual dimorphism in the male. Based on the study of the specimen with support of microtomographic images, a brief comparative analysis of a new species with described extant species of Anthobium is provided.
Abstract
The species Globicornis (Hadrotoma) ingelehmannae sp. n. from Baltic amber is described, illustrated and compared with all known amber species of Globicornis Latreille, 1829. New species differs by the shape of antennae and black setation on dorsal and ventral surfaces.
A new fossil genus of net-winged beetles, Protolopheros gen. n., and a new species, Protolopheros hoffeinsorum sp. n., are described from the Baltic amber. The new taxon is placed in Erotini, next to Lopheros Leconte, 1881. The extant Pseudaplatopterus (Eropterus) Green, 1951, comb. n. is lowered in rank and placed as a subgenus of the fossil Pseudaplatopterus Kleine, 1940. The extant Kolibaceum (Laterialis) Kazantsev, 1990, comb. n. is lowered in rank and placed as a subgenus of the fossil Kolibaceum Winkler, 1987.
The Baltic amber has proven to be an incredible resource for the environmental and faunistic diversity of the Eocene and this is also evident from the vast amount of Cantharidae species (soldier beetles) described as inclusions in this resin and Fossil-Lagerstätte. The present work contributes to highlighting both this trend and the variety of forms in particular for the genus Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852 with four new species described and with the addition of a new species of Cacomorphocerus Schaufuss, 1892 with two specimens included in the same amber piece. The new forms, described and illustrated here, are: Cacomorphocerus obstinatus sp. nov., Malthodes giannii sp. nov., Malthodes immortalis sp. nov., Malthodes marialuisae sp. nov., and Malthodes unimol sp. nov.
A remarkable new species of the rove beetle genus Anthobium Leach, 1819 from Eocene Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Omaliinae)
