Friday, March 24, 2017

N. 62: F. Fanti

G. it. Ent., 14 (62): 685-690
March 2017

Malthodes michalskii: a new species of Cantharidae
from Baltic amber
(Coleoptera)

by

FABRIZIO FANTI

Abstract - A new fossil soldier beetle, embedded in Baltic amber, Malthodes michalskii n. sp. (Cantharidae Malthininae) is here described and compared with the similar, both extant and fossil, species. It would probably belong to the Malthodes brevicollis (an extant, widespread species) species-group, and it might also be related to the fossil M. sucini Kuśka & Kania. These affinities are discussed based on the last abdominal segments shape, characters which are paramount for the genus systematics.