Atheta (sensu lato) pseudoschistoglossa Klimaszewski & Webster

Webster, Reginald P., Klimaszewski, Jan, Bourdon, Caroline, Sweeney, Jon D., Hughes, Cory C. & Labrecque, Myriam, 2016, Further contributions to the Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) fauna of New Brunswick and Canada including descriptions of 27 new species, ZooKeys 573, pp. 85-216 : 119-120

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (sensu lato) pseudoschistoglossa Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 146-153

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, York Co., Kingsclear Mazerolle Settlement, 45.8729°N, 66.8311°W, 28.IV.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // Stream margin in grass litter on muddy soil (LFC). Paratypes: Canada, British Columbia, Monashee Mtn., near Cherryville, 1400-1600 m, 10.VIII.1982, leg. R. Baronowski (BWRS) (1 ♀, LUC); New Denver, 13.VIII.1982, leg. R. Baronowski (BWRS) (1 ♀, LUC); 15 km E New Denver, Zincton Summit, 13.VIII.1982, leg. R. Baronowski (BWRS) (1 ♀, LUC); New Brunswick, Albert Co., Mary’s Point, 21.VIII.2003, salt marsh, C.G. Majka (1 ♀, LFC); Shepody N.W.A., Germantown Section, 45.7056°N, 64.7642°W, 17.V.2004, R.P. Webster, coll. // Cattail/sedge marsh, in marsh litter (1 ♀, NBM). Carleton Co., Belleville, Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve, 46.1935°N, 67.6825W, 19.IV.2005, R.P. Webster, coll. // Mixed forest, in moist leaves (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); same locality but, 46.1931°N, 67.6825W, 31.V.2005, M.-A. Giguère & R. Webster, coll. // Upper river margin, under drift material (1 ♂, 1 ♀, LFC); same locality but 46.1888°N, 67.6762°W, 20.V.2005, R.P. Webster, coll. // River margin, in flood debris (1 ♂, LFC); same locality but, 46.1944°N, 67.6832°W, 2.VI.2008, R.P. Webster, coll. // River margin, under cobblestones in sand / gravel among scattered grasses (1 ♂, RWC); Jackson Falls, "Bell Forest Preserve", 46.21456°N, 67.72056°W, 12.IV.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Upper river margin, in drift material in area without snow, adults very active (1 ♀, LFC; 1 ♀, NBM); same locality but, 46.2142°N, 67.7190°W, 1.VI.2005, R.P. Webster, coll. // Upper river margin, collected while [they were] in flight between 16:00 & 18:00 h (2 ♀, CNC; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, LFC). Queens Co., Grand Lake near Scotchtown, 45.8762°N, 66.1817°W, 25.V.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // Silver maple swamp near lake margin, margin of vernal pond in moist leaves (2 ♀, NBM; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, RWC); same data but 17.VI.2013 (1 ♀, RWC); same data but 5.VI.2004 // Lake margin, under drift material (1 ♂, LFC); same data but oak & maple forest, under bark of oak (1 ♀, LFC; 1 ♀, RWC); Jemseg, 45.8412°N, 66.1195°W, 25.V-12.VI.2012, C. Alderson, C. Hughes, & V. Webster // Hardwood woodland near seasonally flooded marsh, Lindgren funnel trap, 1 m high under Quercus macrocarpa (1 ♂, RWC); C.F.B. Gagetown, 45.7516°N, 66.1866°W, 17.VI-3.VII.2013, C. Alderson & V. Webster // Old mixed forest with Quercus rubra , Lindgren funnel trap in canopy of Quercus rubra (1 ♂, AFC). Restigouche Co., Jacquet River Gorge P.N.A., 47.8200°N, 66.0015°W, 13.V.2010, R.P. Webster // Under alders in leaf litter & moss near small brook in Carex marsh (1 ♀, RWC). Sunbury Co., Acadia Research Forest, 45.9816°N, 66.3374°W, 18.VII.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Road 7 Regenerating Forest, 8.5-year-old regenerating mixed forest, in sphagnum and leaf litter at bottom of old tire depression (1 ♂, RWC); Burton, near Sunpoke Lake, 45.7658°N, 66.5546°W, 3.VII.2008, R.P. Webster, coll. // red oak forest near flooded marsh, in leaf litter (2 ♀, RWC); same locality as previous but 45.7665°N, 66.5545°W, 15.V.2004, R.P. Webster, coll. // Old maple forest, in leaf litter (1 sex undetermined, 1 ♀, LFC). York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8267°N, 66.7343°W, 16.IV.2005, R.P. Webster, coll. // Carex marsh, in litter & sphagnum at base of tree (1 ♂, CNC); Rt. 645 at Beaver Brook, 45.6860°N, 66.8668°W, 6.V.2008, R.P., Webster, coll. // Carex marsh, in litter (rotten wood & debris) at base of dead red maple (1 ♀, RWC); 9.2 km W of Tracy off Rt. 645, 45.6837°N, 66.8809°W, 22.V.2008, R.P. Webster // Carex marsh adjacent to slow [flowing] stream in Carex hummock (1 ♀, LFC; 1 ♂, RWC); same data but 22.V.2008 (1 ♀, NBM); Fredericton, Nashwaaksis River at Rt. 105, 45.9850°N, 66.6900°W, 6.V.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // River margin, in flood debris on upper river margin (1 ♂, LFC); Kingsclear, Mazorolle Settlement, 45.8729°N, 66.8311°W, 28.IV.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // stream margin, in grass litter on muddy soil (1 ♂, LFC). USA, Alaska, -16 miles E Willow, 7.VIII.1988, leg. R. Baranowski, evening sweeping, gravel pit (1 ♂, 2 ♀, LUC). Non-type material: USA, Alaska, 8-16 miles E Willow, 7.VIII.1988, leg. R. Baranowski, evening sweeping gravel pit (LUC)

Etymology.

The specific name, pseudoschistoglossa, is an adjective derived from the generic name Schistoglossa , with the prefix pseudo added, reflecting the superficial similarities of this species to the members of the latter genus.

Description.

Body length 2.9 mm, narrowly elongate, subparallel; head, pronotum, and abdomen dark brown, elytra rust brown mottled with black, legs and antennae light brown (Fig. 146); integument strongly glossy; forebody with minute and sparse punctation and sparse pubescence; head rounded and slightly angular posterolaterally, with moderately large eyes, shorter than postocular area in dorsal view; antennae with articles V–X subquadrate to slightly transverse; pronotum rounded anterolaterally and posterolaterally, slightly transverse, insignificantly wider than head and slightly narrower than elytra, pubescence directed laterad from midline of disk; elytra slightly transverse, flattened, with pubescence directed posterolaterad; abdomen subparallel medially, narrower than elytra. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with bulbus moderately broad, narrowly oval, tubus narrow subparallel, becoming triangular apically in dorsal view (Fig. 147), and strongly produced ventrally and with apical part narrowly elongate in lateral view (Fig. 148); internal sac with complex structures (Figs 147, 148); tergite VIII with apical margin truncate medially and broadly arcuate laterally (Fig. 149); sternite VIII strongly elongate and rounded apically (Fig. 150). Female. Tergite VIII with apical margin truncate (Fig. 151); sternite VIII evenly broadly rounded apically (Fig. 152); spermatheca with narrow sac-shaped capsule with weak apical indentation and sinuate stem narrowly hooked posteriorly (Fig. 153).

Distribution.

Known from AK, BC, and NB, most likely transcontinental in northern Canada.

Natural history.

Most adults of Atheta pseudoschistoglossa were found in or near wetland habitats. These included among cobblestones, drift material, and flood debris along river margins, moist leaves along vernal pond margin in a silver maple swamp, in leaf litter and moss along brook margins in alder swamps, and in litter at base of red maple, in Carex hummock in Carex marshes, in leaf litter in a red oak forest near a flooded seasonally flooded marsh, in a salt marsh, in marsh litter in a Carex -sedge marsh, and in litter and sphagnum at the base of a tree in a marsh. A few adults were captured in Lindgren funnel traps in a hardwood woodland near a seasonally flooded marsh and in an old mixed forest. Adults were collected from mid-April to August.

Comments.

The subgeneric position of this species is unsettled. It bears a superficial resemblance to members of the genus Schistoglossa but does not have the apical parts of the mandibles split. It does not belong to Boreophilia because of the very narrow body and different type of aedeagus and spermatheca. In Boreophilia , the median lobe of aedeagus is broad with the bulbus enlarged and broadly connected to tubus in dorsal view, the venter of tubus is approximately straight in lateral view, and the spermatheca is differently shaped (for illustrations of genitalia of Canadian Borephilia see Lohse et al. 1990). It is also similar to Philhygra but it has a large spermatheca similar in shape to those of Schistoglossa , whereas Philhygra have spermathecae that are minute, scarcely visible, and difficult to find. One specimen from AK agrees in all aspects of morphology with those from NB but is distinctly larger and therefore it is listed as a non-paratype.