Eocenobius, Alekseev & Bukejs & Háva & Zahradník, 2023

Alekseev, Vitalii, Bukejs, Andris, Háva, Jiří & Zahradník, Petr, 2023, A new genus and species of Ernobiinae (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from Eocene Baltic amber of the Sambian Peninsula, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 23 (1), pp. 51-59 : 51-59

Genus Eocenobius gen. nov.

Type species: Eocenobius praestigitator sp. nov., by present designation.

Differential diagnosis. Eocenobius gen. nov. is characterized by the following combination of characters:(1) antennae 11- segmented withfiliform antennomeres 3–8, and elongate, three-segmented club; (2) lateral margins of pronotum complete; (3) elytra short and forming oval outline; (4) dorsal pubescence thin, sparse, long, and erect; (5) meso- and metacoxae widely separated; (6) elytral punctation relatively sparse; and (7) metatrochanters angulate.

The newly described genus can be distinguished from the genus Ernobius in having shorter elytra (1.5× longer than wide in the new genus and 1.9–2.9× longer than wide in Ernobius ), sparser elytral punctation (distance between punctures usually less than diameter of one puncture in Ernobius ), erect dorsal pubescence (recumbent in Ernobius ), as well as comparatively wide separated meso- and metacoxae. Eocenobius gen. nov. can additionally be distinguished from extinct Tuberernobius Zahradník et Háva, 2014 in the absence of knob-like tubercles on the pronotum; from Paralobium Fall, 1905 in possessing filiform antennomeres 3–8;and from the genera Episernus Thomson, 1863 and Episernomorphus Roubal, 1917 in having 11- segmented antennae. For comparison with extinct Ernobiinae taxa of Baltic amber, also see the key presented below. Additionally, Eocenobius gen. nov. shows similarity to extant Ochina Dejean, 1821 in having comparatively short elytra. However, Ochina differs from the new genus in having weakly serrate antennomeres 3–8.

Etymology. The name of the new genus is a compound word and combines “Eocene” (the name of the type species’ geological epoch) and “- bius ” (the Latin root of the type genus of the tribe to which the genus belongs). Gender is masculine.

Remarks. The new genus is monotypic. Therefore, the generic diagnosis is currently identical to that of the type species.