Orthoperus scutellaris LeConte, 1878

Majka, Christopher G. & Cline, Andrew R., 2006, New Records of Corylophidae (Coleoptera) from the Maritime Provinces of Canada, The Coleopterists Bulletin 60 (2), pp. 105-111 : 109

Orthoperus scutellaris LeConte

NOVA SCOTIA: Digby County: Brier Island; Pond Cove , 22 June 2003, 24 June 2003, 26 July 2003, 28 July 2003, 10 August 2004, 15 September 2004, J. Ogden & K. Goodwin, 22 specimens, JOC ; Halifax County: West Dover , 7 September 2003, C.G. Majka, CGMC ; Sable Island , 12–28 July, 2004, Z. Lucas, NSMC .

Recorded in Canada from the Northwest Territories east to Saskatchewan ( Campbell 1991); in the United States from New Hampshire ( Chandler 2001), Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, and California (Downie and Arnett 1996). Newly recorded in Nova Scotia. A particularly noteworthy record is that from Sable Island on the continental shelf of Nova Scotia, 160 km from the nearest point of mainland. The specimen was collected on an oily porpoise skull. Klimaszewski et al. (2006) discuss mechanisms of invertebrate colonization to this remote site including dispersal along island bridges from glacial refugia on George’s Bank, a mechanism that might be applicable to this species. In Europe some species of Orthoperus (e.g., O. brunnipes (Gyllenhal) and O. pilosiusculus Jacquelin du Val ) are regularly found in saline, coastal situations ( Bowestead 1999) and all records of O. scutellaris in NS are from such habitats.

Rypobiinae

Rypobius marinus LeConte

NEW BRUNSWICK: Albert County: Mary’s Pt., 12 August 2004 & 21 August 2005, sandy beach, C.G. Majka, 2 specimens, CGMC .

Recorded from the Atlantic seaboard of the United States from New Hampshire (Chandler 2000), and Rhode Island south to Florida: found on ocean beaches (Downie and Arnett 1996). Newly recorded from Canada. The specimen was collected under beach drift material at the top of the littoral zone below sand dunes on an ocean beach. The locale and the suite of sympatric beach-drift Coleoptera are discussed in detail in Majka and Ogden (2006) and Klimaszewski and Majka (submitted). Pupedis (1997) found it very abundant in a salt marsh in Connecticut. In Europe all species of Rypobius are associated with mould at the base of plants. One species, R. praetermissus Bowestead , is tolerant of salinity and occurs mainly in salt marshes and at the edge of inland waters ( Bowestead 1999).