Minysporops dominicanus gen. n., sp. n. (Hemiptera: Pentatomoidea: Megarididae), a megaridid in Dominican amber

Abstract

A new genus and species of megaridid, Minysporops dominicanus gen. n., sp. n. (Hemiptera: Megarididae), is described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters include: minute (under 2.00 mm), glabrous, nearly round body; declivitous flat-topped head; eyes constricted near middle, with dorsal eye shields; ocelli ovoid-elliptical; antennae four-segmented, setose; rostrum four-segmented; pronotum finely punctate with indistinct calli not extending to lateral body margins, anterolateral margin angulate; scutellum punctate, exposing base of hemelytra; connexivum narrowly exposed; venter of abdomen glabrous, with fine punctures and two-segmented tarsi. This is the first description of a fossil megaridid.

Keywords:

• Megarididae
• Dominican amber
• Tertiary fossil
• new taxa

Acknowledgements

We thank Thomas J. Henry and Jack Lattin for discussions concerning the systematic placement of this fossil, Christopher Hedstrom for taking the photograph in Figure 1 and Roberta Poinar and Art Boucot for comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.