Boreophilia herschelensis Klimaszewski & Godin

Klimaszewski, Jan, Godin, Benoit & Bourdon, Caroline, 2012, Further contributions to the aleocharine fauna of the Yukon Territory, Canada (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 186, pp. 207-237 : 214

Boreophilia herschelensis Klimaszewski & Godin sp. n. Figs 1128 –3058– 61

Holotype

(female). Canada, Yukon, Herschel Island, 69.5706, -138.902, 13.VI.2007, 5 m, pitfall trap, site dominated by Carex and grasses with presence of willows (ATOR) - alluvial fan, D.G. Reid (LFC).

Paratypes.

Labeled as the holotype except: 1-3.VI.2007 (ECW) 1 male; 7.VI.2007 (ECW) 2 males; 10.VI.2007 (CNC) 1 male; 15.VI.2007 (ECW) 1 female; 17.VI.2007 (ECW) 1 male, 1 female; 19.VI.2007 (ECW) 1 female; 16.VII.2007 (LFC) 1 male, 1 female; 21.VII.2007 (ECW) 2 females; 31.VII.2007 (LFC) 1 male; 7.VI.2008 (ECW) 2 females; 7.VII.2008 (ECW) 2 females; 15.VII.2008 (ECW) 1 female; 11.VIII.2008 (ECW) 1 female.

Etymology.

Named for the type locality, Herschel Island.

Diagnosis.

Body narrow, subparallel, head and pronotum about the same width, elytra and abdomen slightly wider, uniformly black (Fig. 11); surface matte except for slightly glossy abdomen; pubescence fine, punctation weak and moderately dense, meshed microsculpture pronounced on forebody; head round, slightly flattened medially and with eyes about as long as postocular region of head; antennae slender, articles 4-5 slightly elongate, 6-10 subquadrate, last article elongate; pronotum transverse, narrower at base and widest at middle; elytra at suture slightly longer than or as long as pronotum; abdomen subparallel for most of its length; length 2.8-3.0 mm (Fig. 11). MALE: tergite 8 transverse and truncate apically (Fig. 58); sternite 8 slightly elongate and rounded apically (Fig. 59); median lobe of aedeagus with straight tubus in lateral view and with apex short and narrow (Fig. 29), dorsal aspect as illustrated (Fig. 28). FEMALE: tergite 8 transverse and truncate apically (Fig. 60); sternite 8 slightly elongate and rounded apically (Fig. 61); spermatheca S-shaped, capsule consisting of a globular apical part with a small invagination, stem sinuate (Fig. 30).

The following combination of characters distinguishes this species from other congeners: narrow, subparallel and uniformly black body, integument of forebody matte and with dense microsculpture, median lobe of aedeagus narrow apically and spermatheca S-shaped.

Distribution.

This Nearctic species is known only from the type locality on Herschel Island, Yukon.

Bionomics.

Adults were collected in June and July on an alluvial fan.

Comments.

This species is superficially similar to Boreophilia nomensis Casey (= Boreophilia caseyiana Lohse) but differs by its uniformly black body and aedeagus with evenly narrow apical part of median lobe in lateral view.