Philonthus gavius Smetana, 1995

Brunke, Adam J. & Marshall, Stephen A., 2011, Contributions to the faunistics and bionomics of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in northeastern North America: discoveries made through study of the University of Guelph Insect Collection, Ontario, Canada, ZooKeys 75, pp. 29-68 : 47

Philonthus gavius Smetana, 1995

Materials.

UNITED STATES: MD:Prince George Co., Cedarville St. Pk., at lights, 24 to 29-VII-2008, S. Paiero (1).

Diagnosis.

Philonthus gavius is recognized among other northeastern Philonthus by the combination of: tergite eight distinctly emarginate in both sexes; elytra with most punctures separated by their widths; eyes longer than the temples.

This species was previously known from Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas ( Smetana 1995). It was newly recorded from Missouri by Watrous (2008) based on one specimen at a blacklight. Another specimen collected at a mercury vapour light represents a new record for Maryland (Map 30) and northeastern North America, and extends the known distribution considerably eastward. The habitat preferences of Philonthus gavius remain unknown but it is probably a species associated with wet areas similar to most other members of the Philonthus 'Quadricollis Group’ sensu Smetana (1995).