G. it. Ent., 14 (62): 709-714
March 2017
New fossil Cantharidae genus and species from Baltic amber
(Insecta Coleoptera)
by
FABRIZIO FANTI
Abstract - A new fossil soldier beetle, Michalskantharis bursztynica gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from Baltic amber. The new genus is characterized by long filiform inflated antennae with a large number of antennomeres (17), until now unknown in any extant or fossil genus, long elytra and convex prothorax, which is slightly raised at the apical edge and strongly raised at the posterior edge. In the fossil Cantharidae, shape and number of antennal articles, which can assume a discrete diagnostic value, seem to vary significantly in comparison to extant species.
