Podistra (Pseudoabsidia) guthriei Fanti 2021, sp. nov.

Podistra (Pseudoabsidia) guthriei sp. nov.

(Figs. 1 - 2)

Holotype. Female, in Baltic amber, deposited under accession number INHSP-18000.

Type locality. Poland, Baltic Sea coast, Gdańsk city area, Wisła River estuary.

Type horizon. Middle Eocene: Lutetian (47.8–41.2 Mya) to late Eocene: Priabonian (37.8–33.9 Mya).

Differential diagnosis. The last maxillary palpomere securiform, the long elytra and the rectangular pronotum allow this taxon to be abscribed to the genus Podistra. The new species is easily distinguishable from the other Podistra for the absence of the basal tooth of claws, a typical character of the subgenus Pseudoabsidia Wittmer, 1969. It is also recognizable for the blackish head and the peculiar pronotal (slightly narrower than head, with a transversal strong concavity near the basal margin) and propleural shape.

Description. Adult, winged, slender. Female, defined on the basis of the short antennae and the last sternite rounded and wide. Body length: about 5.7 mm, elytra 4.2 mm. Dark brown with blackish head.

Head completely exposed, short, rounded, equipped with punctation and rugosity. Eyes large, convex, perfectly rounded, inserted in the lateral-upper part of the head; inter-ocular dorsal distance about 2.5 times greater than eye diameter. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented; last palpomere securiform, very elongated and rounded apically. Labial palpi 3-segmented; last palpomere securiform. Antennae 11-segmented, filiform, strongly pubescent, inserted close to the eyes, very short, slightly surpassing the humeral zone and not reaching the half of elytra; scape club-shaped, strongly elongate and robust apically; antennomere II short, about 2.0 times shorter than scape; antennomere III about 1.5 times longer than antennomere II; antennomeres III-X subequal, antennomere VI slightly longer than others; antennomere XI longer than previous ones and rounded apically. Pronotum longer than wide, rectangular, slightly narrower than head, almost flat, with a transversal strong concavity near the basal margin; surface equipped with long setae; apical margin almost straight; basal margin straight and bordered; sides straight and slightly bordered; propleura triangular-elongate with rounded wide base. Scutellum triangular. Elytra wider than pronotum, elongate, parallel-sided, rounded apically, hardly reaching the last abdominal segments (Fig. 2), wrinkled and equipped with long setae. Hind wings slightly infuscate, almost completely covered by the elytra. Legs robust, densely pubescent; coxae robust, elongate, triangular; trochanters elongate with rounded apex; femora enlarged, very slightly curved; tibiae thin, cylindrical, with a robust apical spur; protibiae

shorter than profemora; mesotibiae almost as long as mesofemora; metatibiae longer than metafemora; tarsal formula 5-5-5; tarsomere I very elongate; tarsomere II short, about 2 times shorter than I; tarsomere III as long as II; tarsomere IV lobed; tarsomere V thin, elongate and curved; claws simple, without tooth at base. Metasternum sub-rectangular; abdominal urosternites transverse and pubescen t; last ur oster n ite sh or t an d rounded. Male unknown.

Etymology. Named in honour of my friend Scott Guthrie (Fort Guthrie, Washington, USA), an excellent fossil hunter.

Syninclusions. Air bubbles, and very few detritus.

Remarks. The amber piece measures 21 x 12 mm. Three legs of the inclusion are preserved up to the tarsomere IV, II, and I respectively. The right antenna is preserved up to the fifth antennomere.