On the first <i>Silis</i> Charpentier, 1825 from Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

Abstract

Only in recent years have new genera and species of the subfamily Silinae Mulsant, 1862 been described as inclusions in amber. However, no representative of the genus Silis Charpentier, 1825 had been described from Baltic amber, even if few specimens were already known at the generic level. Silis lombardii sp. nov. is entirely dark brown and shows (as usual for the genus) the two characteristic lobes in the sides of pronotum, elongated elytra, and a basal small tooth only on the anterior claws. The Eocene findings show that the subfamily is of ancient origin and that at least in the Eocene it was much more abundant than today in the same territories, where only two species are known. (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:76887127-3D24-41DA-86CC-7DCAB40DC3B7)