Vol 53, No 10 (2019)

Eldermyrmex oblongiceps (Wheeler, 1915) is redescribed and a second species of the genus, E. exsectus sp. nov., is described from the Late Eocene Bitterfeld amber. Differential diagnosis and key to the species are given.

Four new species of malachite beetles (Coleoptera, Dasytidae) are described from Late Eocene Baltic amber, namely two species of the genus Aplocnemus Stephens, 1830 and a species of the genus Aploceble Majer, 1998, both from the tribe Aplocnemini Majer, 1987 of the subfamily Rhadalinae Leconte, 1862, and a species of the genus Dasytes Paykull, 1799 from the tribe Dasytini Leech, 1817 and subfamily Dasytinae Laporte de Castelnau, 1840. The new species Aplocnemus (Aplocnemus) hoffeinsorum sp. nov. is characterized by flabellate antennae and yellowish-brown legs. The new species resembles the Central Pyrenean endemic species A. (A.) temperei Constantin, 2007 in a suite of characters, but can easily be distinguished by its flabellate antennae, larger body size, coarse puncturation of the surface and elytra slightly widened posteriorly. Aplocnemus (Ischnopalpus) baltiensis sp. nov. differs in the triangular serrate middle antennomeres, wide triangular last palpomere, and surface with strong, dense puncturation, covered with long black erect hairs. Aploceble (Aploceble) lateantennata sp. nov. has dark-brown legs, which allow comparison with A. (A.) fuscipes Majer, 2008, which has light-brown legs, but the new species differs in the wide triangular middle antennomeres, which from the 4th to the 10th are wider than long, as well as in the coarse sparse puncturation of the dorsal surface. Characters to distinguish the new species from its congeners are given in the key to Aploceble species. The new species Dasytes (Mesodasytes) ochraceus sp. nov. can easily be recognized from its congeners by the yellow-brown coloration of the body with narrow black stripes on the apical antennomeres, the inner margins of the femora and the apices of the tarsomeres. In outward appearance it is similar to Dasytes (Mesodasytes) croceipes Kiesenwetter, 1866 which has the legs partly yellow-orange, but differs in the elongate 3rd antennomere, the distinct carina above the epipleura, and the lateral margins of the pronotum depressed posteriorly.

The Eoropseudauletes plucinskii gen. et. sp. nov. from Baltic amber are described and illustrated. The new genus differs from the genus Pseudauletes Voss, 1922 in the naked body, large eyes, thick rostrum and not flattened tibiae. It is distinguished from the genus Cesauletes Hamilton, 1983 in the rounded apex of the elytra when both are together, tibiae with costate dorsal margin, narrow not long antennal club, and pronotum without pro- and postnotal grooves and from the genus Eugnamptidea Wickham, 1912 in the elytra with indistinct striae and rostrum without middle carinae. There is the first record of the tribe Pseudauletina in Baltic amber.

Two new genera and species of gall midges are described from Lower-Middle Miocene amber, based on males, which have binodose flagellomeres possessing long looplike sensorial filae: Mexicanodiplosis katyae gen. et sp. nov. (Coquillettomyiidi, Karshomyiini) from Mexican amber, and Ipsseptemmyiarossi gen. et sp. nov. (Aphidoletidi, Bremiini) from Dominican amber. Coquillettomyiidi were previously unknown from fossil resins. An undescribed species of the genus Bremia was previously found in Mexican amber. This is the first gall midge to be described from Dominican amber. Altogether, including the new taxa, 11 species and eight genera of Cecidomyiinae with binodose flagellomeres were found in Mexican amber (five genera, five species), Dominican amber and Rovno amber (one genus, one species each), and Baltic amber (one genus, three species).

Two new species are described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber: Sematophyllites katyae Ignatov and Ignatova sp. nov. and S. rovnoi Ignatov and Ignatova sp. nov., and S. subjulaceum is recorded from a new locality. The spectra of moss families of the Rovno and Baltic amber are compared. A conclusion is made on the general similarity of the growing environment present in the Rovno and Baltic amber forests, where existed suitable conditions for Sphagnum, which grew submerged being heavily covered with diatoms.

The first record of fruit bodies of a microscopic fungus on the leaf of an unidentified dicotyledonous plant in amber is reported. The fungus is represented by numerous superficial fruit bodies (up to 35 in total), presumably of an ascomycetous fungus, at various stages of development. Ascomata are small, single, scattered all over the surface of half a leaf, setose. Setae are numerous, stiff, brown to black, densely covering the entire surface of the ascomata. In external appearance, the fungus reminds representatives of several taxonomic groups of non-lichenized ascomycetes. However, combination of the observed morphological characters does not fit any extant genus of foliicolous ascomycetes. Most probably, this fungus belongs to the group of lichenized fungi. In our opinion, in taxonomic position it may be close to extant representatives of the family Porinaceae (Lecanoromycetes), but possesses a unique combination of morphological characteristics.