Balistica serrulata Otto 2023, new species

Balistica serrulata Otto, new species

Fig. 4–5

Holotype. Embedded in near pentangular Dominican Republic amber piece, 26 mm × 16 mm × 13 mm. Amber piece is clear dark yellow/orange with micro fractures and several additional undescribed insects (2 ant species and 1 beetle species).

Diagnosis. Longer than wide pronotum, basally wide notosternal antennal grooves along with simple, serrate antennae will distinguish the species from all other Balistica species.

Description. Length, 3.0 mm. Width, 1.0 mm. Habitus subcylindrical, elongate (caudal end destroyed); uniformly black; antennae and legs black; setae inconspicuous on head, pronotum and elytra (Fig. 4). Head: Closely punctate, subspherical with convex frons; surfaces shiny; apical margin of frontoclypeal region trilobed, about 2.5 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antennae: Serrate, reaching to mesocoxae; flagellomere I nearly as long as II and III combined; flagellomeres II–VIII triangular, longer than wide; flagellomere IX longer than VIII. Pronotum: Closely, deeply punctate; surface shiny; longer than wide, with short hind angles; parallel-sided; anterior portion of pronotum slightly arcuate; disc simple; sides with two ridges; anterior lateral hypomeral ridge short, caudally bent, less than one-fourth the length of pronotum; posterior lateral hypomeral ridge extend up to half the length of pronotum; hypomeron with shallow, basally wide notosternal antennal grooves; hypomeral pits well defined. Scutellum: Slightly punctate, oblong, triangular and distally rounded. Elytra: Striae absent; very closely, deeply punctate. Legs: First tarsomere as long as the combined lengths of the remaining four on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomere IV truncate and excavate; metatarsomere V elongate with simple claws. Venter (Fig. 5): Deeply punctate; setae inconspicuous; metepisternum caudally widened; metacoxal plates medially 2.5 times as wide as laterally.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from its simply serrate antennal segments.