Phlaeopterus houkae Hatch, 1957

Mullen, Logan J., Campbell, J. M. & Sikes, Derek S., 2018, Taxonomic Revision of the Rove Beetle Genus Phlaeopterus Motschulsky, 1853 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 72, pp. 1-54 : 34-35

10. Phlaeopterus houkae Hatch, 1957

( Figs. 3B , 10B , 15F , 17F , 19F , 21B, 28F, 31F, 33F, 34C–D, 36B, 37F–G, 39A–B, 40F, 42D)

Phlaeopterus houkae Hatch 1957: 58 [original description]. Campbell and Davies 1991: 5; Herman 2001: 377; Bousquet et al. 2013: 89.

Type Locality. Mt. Baker , Washington, USA .

Redescription. Habitus: Length 3.1–4.0 mm. Dark brown; elytra usually lighter; legs, antennae, and mouthparts yellowish brown; abdomen usually reddish brown ( Fig. 3B ). Head: Width moderate, width across eyes to head length slightly wider than long ( Fig. 34C–D ). Interantennal groove vague or absent at least across midline of head. Anteocellar foveae vague, shallowly impressed. Eyes moderately pubescent on ventral half, with more than 10 setae ( Fig. 36B ). Antennomeres 3–10 each 1.6–2.0 times longer than wide; antennomeres 4–11 each with many sensory pits with papilliform projections ( Fig. 37F–G ). Ocelli present. Nuchal constriction absent. Epipharynx as in Fig. 33F. Hypopharynx as in Fig. 40F. Mandibular molar area with L-shaped row of setae ( Fig. 28F ). Labrum with sensory pores along anterior margin only ( Fig. 31F ). Maxilla with lacinia and galea as in Fig. 39A–B . Labial palpi with 3 rd palpomere 1.2–1.5 times longer than 2 nd palpomere. Gula as in Fig. 42D . Thorax: Pronotum narrow ( Fig. 15F ), length to width ratio = 0.7–0.8; ratio of pronotal width to head width = 1.3–1.4; maximum width subequal to width of elytra at bases; punctures separated by average distance equal to slightly less than diameter of a puncture; lateral margins narrowly explanate posterad lateral fovea, not explanate anterad lateral foveae; lateral foveae moderately impressed, contiguous with lateral margins. Elytra with humeral angles convex; epipleural carina not projecting; 1.9–2.1 times longer than pronotum; apical margins convex. Wings brachypterous. Mesosternum with projecting tooth; longitudinal carina along midline of mesosternum present but vague, especially near midline and posterior margin ( Fig. 19F ). Legs: All tibiae evenly pubescent to apex. Metatrochanter without tooth on apical margin. Abdomen: Tergites IVand Veach with wing-folding spicules very broad, nearly contiguous or contiguous in shape of single transverse band ( Fig. 17F ). Apical palisade fringe on tergite VII absent. Aedeagus: Length 0.65–0.75 mm. Median lobe with lateral margins subparallel from base to past midline, then abruptly narrowed, apex acute (Fig. 21B). Parameres broad, parallel and nearly straight. Internal sac with 2 dense patches of spicules lateroapically.

Type Specimen. Holotype female (UAMObs: Ento:235216) labeled as follows: Mt. Baker Lodge, Aug. 26, 1935, WASH., M.H. Hatch/Det. 1954, H. Houk/not Vellica longipennis Csy. , compared with type, M.H. Hatch 1958/TYPE ♀ Phlaeopterus houkae 1951 – M.H. Hatch/ Vellica longipennis Csy. , compared with Fall coll., M.H. Hatch 1952. The specimen is deposited in the USNM.

Distribution. Phlaeopterus houkae is known broadly from the Pacific Coast and Cascade Ranges, from Siskiyou County, California and Oregon north to the Alaska Range in Alaska ( Fig. 10B ). It is also known coastally from Baranof Island, Prince of Wales Island, Haida Gwaii, Vancouver Island, and the Olympic Mountains.

Bionomics. Adults have been collected at 90–2,400 m elevation during June–August in wet moss at the edge of cold water, usually small streams and pools.

Remarks. Phlaeopterus houkae can be distinguished from all other Phlaeopterus species by its small size, presence of ocelli, vague anteocellar foveae, slight nuchal constriction, shape and punctation of the pronotum, shape of the wing-folding spicules on tergites IV and V, lack of wing-folding spicules on tergite VI, and the unique structure of the internal sac of the aedeagus.

Figures

Fig. 3. Phlaeopterus species, habitus. A) P. hatchi, male (UAMObs:Ento:232429), B) P. houkae, male (UAMObs:

Fig. 10. Distributions of Phlaeopterus species based on all georeferenced specimen records. A) P. hatchi, B) P. houkae. Grey dots represent localities where at least one Phlaeopterus species, but not the species of interest, was collected. Red dots represent localities where the species of interest was collected.

Fig. 15. Pronota, dorsal view, of A) Lesteva pallipes LeConte, 1863, B) Lesteva longoelytrata (Goeze, 1777), C) Unamis sp. undescribed, D) Unamis sp., E) Phlaeopterus lagrandeuri, F) Phlaeopterus houkae, G) Phlaeopterus longipennis, H) Phlaeopterus obsoletus.

Fig. 17. Phlaeopterus species. Pronota, dorsal view, of A) P. fusconiger, B) P. frosti, C) P. filicornis, D) P. hatchi, E) P. elongatus. Abdominal segments 4–6, dorsal view, of F) P. houkae, G) P. obsoletus, H) P. elongatus.

Fig. 19. Mesosterna, ventral oblique view, of A) Lesteva pallipes, B) Lesteva longoelytrata, C) Unamis sp. undescribed, D) Unamis sp., E) Phlaeopterus lagrandeuri, F) Phlaeopterus houkae.

Fig. 34. Phlaeopterus species, head, dorsal and dorsal oblique views. A–B) P. lagrandeuri, C–D) P. houkae, E–F) P. obsoletus.

Fig. 36. Phlaeopterus species, eyes, dorsal view. A) P. lagrandeuri, B) P. houkae, C) P. longipennis, D) P. frosti, E) P. bakerensis, F) P. olympicus.

Fig. 37. Sensory structures on antenna of A) Lesteva pallipes, B–C) Lesteva pubescens, D–E) Unamis sp. undescribed, F–G) Phlaeopterus houkae, H–I) Phlaeopterus obsoletus, J–K) Phlaeopterus elongatus. In B, D, F, H, and J, white boxes indicate inset area that is magnified in the image to the right.

Fig. 28. Ventral view of A) Left mandible of Lesteva longoelytrata, B) Right mandible of Lesteva pallipes, C) Right mandible of Unamis sp. undescribed, D) Right mandible of Unamis sp., E) Left mandible of Phlaeopterus lagrandeuri, F) Left mandible of Phlaeopterus houkae.

Fig. 31. Labra of A) Lesteva pallipes, B) Lesteva pubescens, C) Unamis sp. undescribed, D) Unamis sp., E) Phlaeopterus lagrandeuri, F) Phlaeopterus houkae, G) Phlaeopterus obsoletus, H) Phlaeopterus filicornis. White arrows indicate labrum.

Fig. 39. Phlaeopterus species, maxillae, dorsal and ventral views. A–B) P. houkae, C–D) P. obsoletus, E–F) P. elongatus.

Fig. 42. Heads, ventral view, of A) Unamis sp. undescribed, B) Unamis sp., C) Phlaeopterus lagrandeuri, D) Phlaeopterus houkae, E) Phlaeopterus longipennis, F) Phlaeopterus elongatus.