Palaeobasanus neli sp. n.

(Figs 1–2)

Type material: holotype MNT 06 3415 (sex unknown)

Description. Body length about 7.5 mm. Head about half as wide as pronotum; mentum with longitudinal median elevation (Fig 1D); Head underside with dense and coarse subcircular punctures around throat emargination; other ventral sclerites with undulate transverse wrinkle-like foveae (Fig. 1D); gula short, with weakly rounded margins. Antennomeres 4-7 elongate, with dense simple trichoid sensillae (Fig. 1C), without sensory complexes; apical antennomeres (beginning from antennomere 8) subquadrate and short.

Pronotum transverse (Figs 1A, B, D; 2A), nearly 3.5 times as wide as long, widest at base; lateral margins and base evenly weakly arcuate; anterior margin shallowly emarginated; lateral margins strongly beaded (Fig. 1B, D); anterior angles subacute, weakly projected; posterior angles subacute but rounded at tip.

Elytra at base little wider than base of pronotum, with eight striae and scutellary striola; humeri rounded, not projected; striae deep, bearing a row of circular punctures at bottom (Figs 1A, 2A). Mesoventrite with median elevation and transverse wrinkles, strongly depressed before mesocoxae; mesocoxae transversely suboval; metaventrite transverse (2.6 times as wide as long, with median impressed furrow in basal part and groove along metacoxal cavities; intercoxal process of metaventrite rounded and beaded.

Legs moderately long; femora not strongly protruded beyond body lateral edges; tibiae straight; metatarsi with long metatarsomeres 1 and 4; metatarsomere 4 the longest (longer than metatarsomeres 2 and 3 combined).

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Prof. André Nel (MNHN), the famous paleoentomologist, who made a great contribution to the study of the paleofauna of Menat.

Comparative diagnosis is the same as for the genus Palaeobasanus gen. n.