Corresponding author: Nikolai N. Yunakov (
Academic editor: M. Alonso-Zarazaga
Having examined the Baltic amber weevils from the collection of Mr. Carsten Gröhn, a new genus and species belonging to the subfamily
In the course of the current study, mandibular processes of 35 extant genera in 17 tribes, including 6 genera of the tribe
In addition, non-American genera treated in the
The type specimens of some poorly known taxa were re-examined.
The earliest descriptions of fossils from the subfamily
The Baltic amber weevils apparently share more similarity with recent groups occurring mostly in the Indo-Malayan (Oriental) and Neotropical Regions (
The genus
The usual optic equipment was used for descriptions, including a Leica MZ 16.0 microscope provided with a CCD camera and camera lucida. Morphological terms mostly follow
The name of the new genus is formed from the Greek negative prefix “a”, “rōstron” (beak, bill, snout) and “opsis” (resembling a (specified) thing). Gender feminine.
Body elongate, in general appearance similar to
The epithet of the new species is formed from the name of Carsten Gröhn, collector of its holotype.
Baltic Amber; Upper Eocene, Prussian Formation.
Baltic Sea coast and Amber quarry Jantarny near Kaliningrad (formerly Koenigsberg), Kaliningrad region, Russia.
Length 6.4, width 1.8, height 1.3 mm. Body slender, distinctly depressed from above. Pronotum and elytra strongly carinate at sides. Integument densely covered with small, apparently metallic, lanceolate (apparently green) scales at both sides of body and legs.
Species of
The new genus differs from all recent genera of
Since
1 | Scape short, reaching middle of eyes, strongly thickened apically; pedicel 1.5 times as long as or 2nd funicular article; 1st article of club similar in shape and size with 7th funicular article. Eyes irregularly convex, lateral, located significantly below level of frons (in lateral view). Epifrons without transverse sulcus before eyes. Lateral carina of prothorax developed. Pronotal disc depressed. Procoxae situated in middle of prosternum. Body length 6.4 mm | |
– | Scape long, reaching anterior edge of prothorax, not strongly thickened at apex; pedicel 0.7 time as long as 2nd funicular article; 1st article of club significantly different in shape from 7th funicular article. Eyes evenly convex, dorso-laterally, located almost at level of frons and somewhat extended above level of frons (in lateral view). Epifrons with more or less developed, transverse sulcus before eyes. Sides of prothorax evenly swollen, without carina. Pronotal disc moderately convex. Procoxae are closer to the anterior than to the posterior edge of prosternum. Body length 4.0-4.8 mm | 2 |
2 | Antennal club oval. 4.5-4.8 mm. | |
– | Antennal club spindle-shaped. 4 mm. |
This new genus is undoubtedly a member of
Basic morphological characters of ‘brachyderoid’ tribes of
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1. Postocular vibrissae | absent | absent | present | absent | absent |
2. Claws | free | free | free/connate | free | free |
3. Transverse sulcus | absent | present/absent | present/<br/> absent | present/<br/> obsolete | absent |
4. Eyes position | dorso-lateral | lateral | dorso-lateral | dorso-lateral | lateral |
5. Mentum covers maxillae | yes | yes | yes | yes/no | unknown |
6. Metatibial corbels | open/enclosed | open/enclosed | open/enclosed | open | open |
7. Mandibular processes | without ibt | without ibt | with ibt | unknown | without ibt |
8. Procoxae position | anterior | anterior/median | median | median | median |
The position of
Presumption 1 (
Presumption 2 (
Presumption 3 (
Presumption 4 (
Baltic Amber; Upper Eocene, Prussian Formation.
Denmark “Bernschteinschluss, Versterhavet bei Thisted, 17.xii.1895, Madsen leg.”.
Length 4.5, width 1.75, and height 1.65 mm. Beetle densely covered with metallic, shining scales (apparently green).
This species is distinguished from
The comparison of
The tribe
The authors are pleased to express their gratitude to Carsten Gröhn (GPIH), who provided material for study. They also express sincere thanks to Lars Vilhelmsen and Alexey Solodovnikov (ZMUC) for the opportunity to examine the Baltic amber collection. Wolfgang Weitschat (GPIH) assisted to the authors in their attempts to seek the types of E. Voss which should be deposited in GPIH but now are missing. Steven R. Davis (University of Kansas, Lawrence), George Poinar Jr. (Oregon State University, Corvallis), and two anonymous referees made an essential contribution in improving the English and the content of the manuscript. The use of the data after Vladimir V. Zherikhin (published in
(according to the taxonomic interpretation in
V.V. Zherikhin analyzed all available sources mentioning fossil
Checklist of prepleistocene fossil
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1 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
2 | N2, Dece | |
3 | Pg31st, Aix N13, Agri | |
4 | K2, CerG | |
5 | ?Pg31, unknown | |
6 | Pg23, BalJ | |
7 | Pg31, Flor | |
8 | Pg31, Flor | |
9 | Pg31, Flor | |
10 | Pg31, Flor | |
11 | Pg31, Flor | |
12 | Pg31, Flor | |
13 | Pg12, Sunc | |
14 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
15 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
16 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
17 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Aix |
18 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Aix |
19 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Aix |
20 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
21 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
22 | Genus incertus |
Pg33, Core |
23 | Genus incertus |
Pg3, Kucl |
24 | Pg31, Aix, Cere | |
25 | Pg31, Aix | |
26 | Pg31, Aix | |
27 | Pg31, Aix | |
28 | N13, Oeni | |
29 | Pg31, Aix | |
30 | Pg31,Aix | |
31 | N13, Agri | |
32 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
33 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
34 | Pg23, BalJ | |
35 | Pg23, BalJ | |
36 | Pg23, BalJ | |
37 | Pg23, BalJ | |
38 | Pg23, BalJ | |
39 | Pg23, BalJ | |
40 | Pg23, BalJ | |
41 | Pg23, BalJ | |
42 | N1, USA | |
43 | N13, Oeni | |
44 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
45 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
46 | N13, Boet | |
47 | Pg23, BalJ | |
48 | N11, DomJ | |
|
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49 | Pg31, Flor | |
50 | Pg31, Flor | |
51 | Pg31, Flor | |
52 | Genus incertus |
N13, Oeni |
53 | Genus incertus |
N13, Oeni |
54 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
55 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM |
56 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM |
57 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
58 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, WhiR |
59 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
60 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
61 | Genus incertus |
N11, Rott |
62 | Genus incertus |
Pg23, Cela |
63 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM |
64 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
65 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR |
66 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM |
67 | Genus incertus |
Pg31, Flor |
68 | Genus incertus |
N11, Rott |
69 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM |
70 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, GreR, WhiR |
71 | Genus incertus |
Pg22, RoaM, WhiR |
72 | Genus incertus |
N11, Rott |
73 | Genus incertus sp. (Serres, 1829) ( |
Pg31, Aix |
Notes to table 2.