Petalium LeConte, 1861

Alekseev, Vitalii I. & Bukejs, Andris, 2021, Two fossil species of Petaliini White (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Dorcatominae) from Eocene Baltic amber, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 21 (1), pp. 11-18 : 12

Genus Petalium LeConte, 1861

Note. The specimens under study were assigned to the genus Petalium within the tribe Petaliini of the subfamily Dorcatominae based on a combination of the following external morphological characters: (1) first abdominal ventrite with excavations and metathorax with grooves for reception of legs, (2) metathoracic ventrite produced anteriorly into a very characteristic broad rounded lobe, concealing the mandibles when body is retracted, and (3) second abdominal ventrite subequal to combined length of ventrites 3–4. The fossils under study differ from the geographically close genus Synanobium Schilsky, 1898 (with the southern Palaearctic distribution) in absence of distinct horseshoe-form impression on the pronotum and alternate in form antennomeres of funicle. Additionally, specimens differ from Metapetalium Español, 1970 in inconspicuous pubescence. The habitus and additional visible characters (elytral striation, pronotal form, visible distal part of antenna) led us to conclusion to place the specimens into the genus Petalium . The non-visible on the specimens and not studied basal part of antennae, palpae and genitalia make our assignment tentative.