Ektatotricha
Encyclopedia
Ektatotricha is an extinct, monotypic
, genus of ant-like stone beetle
in the family Staphylinidae containing the single species Ektatotricha paradoxa.
The genus is known from a total of 15 specimens in amber
from amber deposits near Tanai Village 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) northwest of Myitkyina
in the Kachin
region of Myanmar. The holotype
, a single, complete adult with specimen number "AMNH Bu-1464", and six of the paratype
s are now deposited in the American Museum of Natural History
. Four more of the paratypes are deposited in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum
collections in Lawrence, Kansas
, USA. The remaining two paratype specimens are currently in a private collection, but are to be deposited in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. In addition to the holotype and 12 paratypes, two other American Museum of Natural History specimens were examined as part of the study; however, they were not designated as type material.
, Michael Engel
of the University of Kansas
, and Alfred Newton of the Field Museum. Chatzimanolis, Engel and Newton published the 2010 type description for E. paradoxa in the journal Cretaceous Research
, Volume 31.
The genus name is a feminine combination of the Greek
ektatos, meaning "extended", which refers to the visible fifth and sixth abdominal sterna, and tricha meaning "hair". The species name paradoxa is from the Greek paradoxon, meaning "riddle".
Ektatotricha differs from the other member of the supertribe, Hapsomela, by having maxillary palpi which are almost equal in length, a different antenna shape, and by the depth of the punctures on the fore wings. Like Hapsomela, the protibia of Ektatotricha have a well-developed hook, which may have been used in mating or male-male combat between rivals. It has also been suggested that the hooks may have been used to capture prey.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
, genus of ant-like stone beetle
Ant-like stone beetle
Scydmaenidae is a family of small beetles, commonly called ant-like stone beetles or scydmaenids. These beetles occur worldwide, and the family includes some 4,500 species in about 80 genera....
in the family Staphylinidae containing the single species Ektatotricha paradoxa.
The genus is known from a total of 15 specimens in amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
from amber deposits near Tanai Village 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) northwest of Myitkyina
Myitkyina
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar , located from Yangon, and from Mandalay. In Burmese it means "near the big river", and in fact "Myitkyina" lies on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, just below from Myit-son of its two headstreams...
in the Kachin
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
region of Myanmar. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
, a single, complete adult with specimen number "AMNH Bu-1464", and six of the paratype
Paratype
Paratype is a technical term used in the scientific naming of species and other taxa of organisms. The exact meaning of the term paratype when it is used in zoology is not the same as the meaning when it is used in botany...
s are now deposited in the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. Four more of the paratypes are deposited in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum
University of Kansas Natural History Museum
The University of Kansas Natural History Museum is part of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, which is itself part of the KU Biodiversity Institute....
collections in Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, USA. The remaining two paratype specimens are currently in a private collection, but are to be deposited in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. In addition to the holotype and 12 paratypes, two other American Museum of Natural History specimens were examined as part of the study; however, they were not designated as type material.
Background
The known Ektatotricha specimens were first studied by Drs Stylianos Chatzimanolis of the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, Michael Engel
Michael S. Engel
Michael S. Engel is an American paleontologist and entomologist. He has undertaken field work in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Western Hemisphere, and published more than 300 papers in scientific journals. He was trained at the University of Kansas where in 1993 he received a B.S. in Cellular...
of the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, and Alfred Newton of the Field Museum. Chatzimanolis, Engel and Newton published the 2010 type description for E. paradoxa in the journal Cretaceous Research
Cretaceous Research
Cretaceous Research is a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Elsevier. The journal focuses on topics dealing with the Cretaceous period and the K–T boundary.- Abstracting and indexing :...
, Volume 31.
The genus name is a feminine combination of the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
ektatos, meaning "extended", which refers to the visible fifth and sixth abdominal sterna, and tricha meaning "hair". The species name paradoxa is from the Greek paradoxon, meaning "riddle".
Description
The beetles are small, being between 0.65 to 0.85 mm (0.0255905511811024 to 0.0334645669291339 in) long. Their bodies are brown to reddish brown in color and have a dense covering of hairs which are notably long. Because the fifth and sixth abdominal sterna are extended, and thus visible, the genus has been placed in the Scydmaeninae, supertribe Hapsomelitae.Ektatotricha differs from the other member of the supertribe, Hapsomela, by having maxillary palpi which are almost equal in length, a different antenna shape, and by the depth of the punctures on the fore wings. Like Hapsomela, the protibia of Ektatotricha have a well-developed hook, which may have been used in mating or male-male combat between rivals. It has also been suggested that the hooks may have been used to capture prey.