Atomaria testacea Stephens, 1830

Majka, Christopher, Johnson, Colin & Langor, David, 2010, Contributions towards an understanding of the Atomariinae (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae) of Atlantic Canada, ZooKeys 35 (35), pp. 37-63 : 54-56

Atomaria testacea Stephens, 1830

NEW BRUNSWICK: Albert Co.: Mary’s Pt., August 12, 2004, C.G. Majka, coastal field, in compost (4, CGMC). NOVA SCOTIA: Cape Breton Co. : Scatarie Island : Savage Cove, August 10, 2005, K.R. Aikens, beach, under wrack (1, CBU) ; Colchester Co.: Bible Hill , May 31, 2005, June 14, 2005, K.R. Aikens, pasture, sweeping (4, CBU) ; Bible Hill , May 31, 2005, July 21, 2006, S.M. Townsend, sweeping (2, CBU) ; Bible Hill , June 3, 2007, June 15, 2007, August 1, 2007, C.W. D’Orsay, pasture, sweeping (5, CBU) ; Debert , June 19, 1993, J. Ogden (1, NSNR) ; Guysborough Co.:

Dayspring Lake , 2–15 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce, FIT (1, NSMC) ; Malay Lake, 14 May-2 June , 1997, 1–16 July, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce (mature), FIT (2, NSMC) ; Seloam Lake, 14 May-2 June , 1997, 2–15 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce, FIT (2, NSMC) ; Halifax Co.: Abraham’s Lake , 1–16 July, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce (old), FIT (1, NSMC) ; Anti Dam Lake , 1–16 July, 1997, D.J. Bishop, black spruce (90 years), FIT (1, NSMC) ; Antrim, June 9, 2005, J. Gordon, FIT (1, NSNR) ; Burnside , May 19, 2004, C. Cormier, field, on dead pig (1, SMU) ; Campbell Hill , 15– 30 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce (mature), FIT (1, NSMC) ; Long Lake , May 25, 2002, C.G. Majka, along stream (1, CGMC) ; Pockwock Lake , 14 May-2 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce (mature), FIT (1, NSMC) ; Pogwa Lake , 15–30 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce, FIT (1, NSMC) ; Pt. Pleasant Park , July 2, 2001, July 7, 2001, August 18, 2001, June 9, 2002, June 18, 2002, July 23, 2002, C.G. Majka, red spruce forest, boggy area (6, CGMC) ; Sandy Lake, 16–29 July , 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce (120+ years), FIT (1, NSMC) ; south-end Halifax , May 26, 2001, May 20, 2002, June 21, 2002, C.G. Majka, open area (3, CGMC) ; south-end Halifax , August 22, 2002, C.G. Majka, compost (1, CGMC) ; Kings Co.: Kentville , August 10, 2005, July 9, 2006, August 19, 2007, D.H. Webster, compost (11, DHWC) ; Kentville , August 12, 2007, D.H. Webster, at light (1, DHWC) .

Atomaria testacea is newly recorded in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada (Fig. 15). In North America it has previously been recorded from southern California ( Leng 1920) under the name Atomaria ruficornis Marsham, 1802 , synonymized by Johnson et al. (2007). LeConte (1869, 258) reported a species from South Carolina under the name of Atomaria testacea Zimmerman ; however, as Bousquet (1989) makes clear, this refers to Cryptophagus ferrugineus Sahlberg. In the Palaearctic region it is found throughout Europe, in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in North Africa, and in Asia in Turkey, Kazhakhstan, Mongolia, and western Siberia ( Johnson et al. 2007). In Atlantic Canada it has been found in red spruce forests, boggy areas and marshes, in pastures, fields, meadows, and open areas, on beaches under wrack, in a ravine, and in compost. Johnson (1993) reported that it was, “mainly a grassland species which has been recorded around farms, gardens and parks, but it often occurs in other habitats. It has been collected in man-made heaps of refuse, especially cut vegetation, grass, hay, haystack bottoms and compost, more rarely in dung or dung heaps.”

Description: Head and prontotum piceous. Elytra piceous basally, gradually becoming paler in the apical half. Venter: pro-, meso-, and meta-sterna piceous; abdominal sterna and legs dark testaceous. Head finely, moderately sparsely, punctate. Pronotum and elytra moderately finely and densely punctate, interspaces 1.0–1.5 times the diameter of punctures, elytral punctures becoming finer apically; pronotum widest at midpoint, constricted towards base and apex; base with only a very shallow transverse impression (Fig. 9). Antennae: antennomere 1 swollen, slightly curved and expanded at apex; 2 smaller than 1 but also apically expanded; 3 almost as long as 2 and only slightly more slender; 4–8 short and somewhat bead-like; antennal club distinct; antennomeres 9 and 10 transverse (Fig. 1.8). Body: width/length ratio, 0.46; length, 1.3–1.6 mm.

Québec Newfoundland Gaspe Prince Edward Cape Breton Island Island New Brunswick Haine Nova Atomaria apicalis Scotia Atomaria nigrirostris

Figure Ι6. Distribution of Atomaria apicalis and Atomaria nigrirostris in Atlantic Canada.