Stenotothorax woodleyi Gordon, 2018

Skelley, Paul E. & McPeak, Ron H., 2018, New species of Stenotothorax Schmidt from the northwestern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 681, pp. 1-31 : 18-20

Stenotothorax woodleyi Gordon

Figures 3 , 27–28

Stenotothorax woodleyi Gordon 2006: 47–48 ~ Gordon and Skelley 2007: 217, 221.

Diagnosis. The toothless clypeal margin, reduced basal pronotal marginal groove, and strongly explanate pronotum readily distinguish S. woodleyi from any other species in the region. Stenotothorax woodleyi appears to be widespread in the central Scablands of Washington, and narrowly along the Columbia River in Oregon. We take this opportunity to present new and confirmed collection data.

Type material. Washington, ALE Site, Snively Basin, Hanford (AEC) Res., 10 mi. NW Richland ( USNM, not examined; many paratypes and topotypical specimens examined).

Materials studied. (n = 163) Collection data for materials confirmed to be S. woodleyi are: OREGON: Gilliam Co.: Arlington; E on Hwy 84 between milepost 142/143, 45°45′50.42″N, 120°07′40.18″W, 435

ft, 10-IX-2014 to 6-I-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC]; same locality, 6-I-2015 to 1-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 RMPC] ; S. of Arlington on Hwy 19 at milepost 6, 45°38′56.09″N, 120°10′04.67″W, 665 ft, 10-IX-2014 to 6-I-2015, R.H. McPeak [2 FSCA] ; E. side of John Day River across from LePage Park, 45°43.555′N, 120°38.636′W, 12-XII-2012 to 18-III-2013, R.H. McPeak [2 FSCA, 2 RMPC] ; Morrow Co.: Ione , 3.5 mi E on Hwy 74, mile post 32/33, 45°29.013′N, 119°44.939′W, 1227 ft, 1-X-2014 to 1-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [3 FSCA, 3 RMPC] ; Umatilla Co.: 5 mi. E. Hermiston, 4-XI-1978, K.J. Goeden [1 ODA] ; on Hwy 82, 7.3 mi. N of jct. with Hwy-84, 26-XI-2011 to 28-I-2012, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Umatilla ; 11.1 mi. E on Hwy 730, 45°56.705′N, 119°04.164′W, 400 ft, 26-XI-2011 to 28-I-2012, R.H. McPeak [1 DCGC, 5 FSCA, 1 NHML, 5 RMPC] ; same locality, 26-II-2012 to 15-IV-2012, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA] ; Wasco Co.: Rufus , 45°41.444′N, 120°44.409′W, 235 ft, 23-IX-2013 to 10-I-2014, R.H. McPeak [2 FSCA, 3 RMPC] ; same locality, 10-I-2014 to 14-XI-2014, R.H. McPeak [1 RMPC] ;

WASHINGTON: Adams Co.: Kahlotus Sand Dunes , 46°46.865′N, 118°31.316′W, 1418 ft, 8-XI-2015 to 31-III-2016, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Benton Co.: Crow Butte area , 2.6 mi. W. Sonova Rd. on Hwy 14, 45°50′57.43″N, 119°51′59.60″W, 208 ft, 9-IX-2014 to 21-II-2015 R.H. McPeak, [1 FSCA] ; Hanford ( AEC) Res. , ALE Site, Snively Basin, upper old field, 10 mi. NW Richland, 26-X-1973, L. Rogers [5 USNM] ; same locality, 20-X-1975, L. Rogers [1 USNM] ; Hanford Site , ALE Rd up to Rattlesnake Mtn., 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 24-X-20-XII-1998, C. Looney [4 WSU] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 20-XI-17-XII-1998, R.S. Zack [4 FSCA, 3 RMPC, 10 WBWC, 5 WSU] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 29-I-6-II-1999, C. Looney & R. Zack [2 WBWC] ; same locality, °22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 6-12-II-1999, C. Looney & R. Zack [1 WBWC] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 12-19-II-1999, C. Looney & R. Zack [2 FSCA] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 19-26-II-1999, C. Looney & R. Zack [2 WBWC, 2 UNSM] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 24-X-2-XI-1999, C. Looney [3 WBWC] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 2-9-XI-1999, R. Zack & C. Looney [1 WBWC] ; same locality, 46°22.757′N, 119°31.073′W, 3-9-XII-1999, C. Looney & R. Zack [6 WSU] ; McNary Dam area sandy habitat [on north side], 45°56.738′N, 119°17.869′W, 400 ft, 3-XII-2008 to 20-I-2009, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 4 RMPC] ; same locality, 45°56.738′N, 119°17.869′W, 400 ft, 20-I-2009 to 28-II-2009, R.H. McPeak [4 FSCA, 6 RMPC] ; 6 mi. NW. of Richland on Rt. 240, 46°21′45″N, 119°23′06″W, 490 ft, 14-XI-2014, P. Skelley, K. Schnepp, G. Powell [1 FSCA] ; Richland , 24-XII-1981, Woodley collection, on snow [1 USNM] ; Franklin Co.: Juniper Dunes Wilderness; near N entrance, 46°25′27.12″N, 118°49′42.64″W, 870 ft, 8-X to 14-XI-2007, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Juniper Dunes Wilderness ; near N entrance, 46°25′27.12″N, 118°49′42.64″W, 870 ft, 5-IV to 10-V-2007, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA] ; Wahluke Wildlife Area , 0.7 mi. N of view point, 46°38.406′N, 119°23.362′W, 812 ft, 6-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [2 FSCA, 2 RMPC] ; Wahluke Wildlife Area , 3.8 mi. S of Hwy 24, 46°41.031′N, 119°25.224′W, 812 ft, 6-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [3 RMPC] ; Grant Co.: 2.8 mi. E of Dodson Rd on Frenchman Hills Rd. , 46°57.700′N, 119°29.850′W, 1086 ft, 5-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Frenchman Hills ; on top of, below powerlines in I SW, 46°58.148′N, 119°41.110′W, 1700 ft, 5-X-2014 to 26-III-2015 R.H. McPeak, [3 FSCA, 2 RMPC] ; Mattawa Area , 0.9 mi. N. jct. Hwy 2243 in L SW [Vernita Bridge], 46°39.274′N, 119°44.730′W, 770 ft, 6-X-2014 to 25-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA] ; Moses Lake , 47°04.663′N, 119°20.095′W, 1060, 7-X-2014 to 6-VI-2015, R.H. McPeak [2 RMPC] ; nr. Beverly; 3.6 mi. E of Hwy 243 on Lower Crab Creek Rd. , 46°49.963′N, 119°51.598′W, 526 ft, 8-X-2014 to 25-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 DCGC, 5 FSCA, 7 RMPC] ; Saddle Mtn. Top , 46°48.190′N, 119°45.092′W, 2222 ft, 7-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [4 FSCA, 5 RMPC] ; Soap Lake ; milepost 73 on Hwy 17 S of Soap Lake, 47°20.895′N, 119°28.573′W, 1167 ft, 7-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [3 FSCA, 3 RMPC] ; Wahluke Wildlife Area , 3.8 mi. S of Hwy 24, 46°41.031′N, 119°25.224′W, 660 ft, 7-X-2014 to 26-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [3 FSCA] ; Kittatas Co.: Wanapum Dam , 1.7 mi. S. on Huntzinger Rd [W side of Columbia River], 46°50.808′N, 119°57.828′W, 690 ft, 8-X-2014 to 25-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Dunes at mouth Rock Creek on Columbia River, 45°42.182′N, 120°28.017′W, 300 ft, 29-IX-2012 to 18-III-2013, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] .

Observed habits. Most specimens were collected in barrier pitfall traps in sandy sage brush and grassland habitats. One was collected scraping sand out of a depression in the sand, possibly an old rodent burrow entrance (pers. obs. PES).

Remarks. Stenotothorax woodleyi appears most similar to S. washtucna and S. wintoni , differing from both by the strongly explanate pronotum.

Except for a single specimen from Wanapum Dam in Washington that almost lacks coarse pronotal punctures, an interesting character shift occurs in populations following the Columbia River along the Washington-Oregon border. Topotypical specimens and those in the Scablands have glossy elytra, wellseparated coarse pronotal punctures, and the pronotal explanation broad but most prominent on the anterior half along the lateral margin ( Fig. 27 ). Populations along the Columbia River, downstream from the Scablands, have the elytral punctures slightly coarser giving the elytra a dull appearance, pronotal punctures larger and denser, and the pronotal explanation broader and longer ( Fig. 28 ). Materials from intervening populations show a clinal change in these character states. Thus, these two extremes are presently considered the same species.

Figures

Figures 1–9. Stenotothorax spp. characters. 1–2) Extreme age-related wear on Stenotothorax spp.; note lack of clypeal teeth, smoothing and dulling of clypeal surface granulations, and reduction of protibiae. 1) S. wintoni. 2) S. schneppi. 3) Deformity on a S. woodleyi, note apparent tubercle is not centered on head. 4–9) Stenotothorax species heads. 4) S. niviviator. 5) S. odontomonteus. 6) S. nevadensis (Nevada, Washoe Co., Washoe Lake). 7) S. winnemucca. 8) S. lahontanensis, narrow head. 9) S. wintoni, broad head.

Figures 24–29. Stenotothorax species, head and pronotum. 24) S. lanei. 25) S. mcpeaki. 26) S. washtucna. 27) S. woodleyi, typical pronotum. 28) S. woodleyi, from Rufus, OR. 29) S. winnemucca, ventral protibia, female paratype from type locality.