Paratenetus gibbipennis Motschulsky, 1868

Bousquet, Yves & Bouchard, Patrice, 2014, Review of the species of Paratenetus Spinola inhabiting America, north of Mexico (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), ZooKeys 415, pp. 23-51 : 27-29

Paratenetus gibbipennis Motschulsky, 1868 Figs 5, 10

Paratenetus gibbipennis Motschulsky, 1868: 193. Type locality: "Atlanta, Géorgie américaine» (original citation).

Paratenetus cribratus Motschulsky, 1868: 193. Type locality: «Géorgie américaine» (original citation). syn. n.

Type material.

Motschulsky’s collection at ZMMU contains a single specimen, a female, under the name Paratenetus gibbipennis . It bears the following labels: "[green round disc] / [small brick red square label] / type [handwritten] / Paratenetus gibbipennis Motch Am. b. Mobile [handwritten on a rectangular green label]." The specimen is intact although many of the setae on the pronotum and elytra are gone. The provenance of the specimen is doubtful. In the key to the Paratenetus in his collection, Motschulsky (1868: 193) mentioned that the species was collected in Atlanta but Mobile is listed on one of the type labels. Motschulsky collected in both localities during his 10-month trip to America in 1853-54.

Motschulsky’s collection contains a single specimen, a male, under the name Paratenetus cribratus . It bears the following labels: "[green round disc] / Atlanta [handwritten] / type [handwritten] / Paratenetus cribratus Motch Am. bor. Atlanta [handwritten on a rectangular green label]." The specimen is missing the left antennomeres 3-11 and the posterior legs.

Note about synonymy.

Motschulsky (1868) separated Paratenetus gibbipennis and Paratenetus cribratus on the account that the first species has the lateral denticles of the pronotum very short while the second species has strong denticles. From an examination of the types, we cannot sustain Motschulsky’s affirmation; the denticles are basically of the same size on both specimens.

Diagnosis.

This species and Paratenetus fuscus differ from the other three species treated by having the metaventrite very short. Paratenetus gibbipennis differs from Paratenetus fuscus by having few short erect setae on the elytra.

Description.

Body dorsally reddish yellow to dark reddish brown, legs paler, yellow to reddish yellow; antennal club not darkened in most specimens; metaventrite not darker than first two abdominal ventrites. Antennomere 8 subquadrate or very slight ly transverse. Pronotum with maximum width near midlength or slightly anterior to midlength; punctures moderately dense, not subcontiguous even over lateral half. Elytra very convex; slanting setae subdepressed, erect setae very few, short. Metaventrite short, length along midline clearly shorter than length of abdominal ventrite 2 along midline. Male protibia with calcar near middle along ventral surface; male mesotibia with short, in some specimens very short, more or less perpendicular preapical protuberance. Parameres with sides more or less parallel towards apex, apex not particularly acute (Fig. 5).

Length: 2.5-3.2 mm.

Distribution.

This species ranges from southern Maine to southwestern Manitoba, south to central Texas, southwestern Alabama, and central South Carolina (Fig. 10).

Records.

We have seen 660 specimens from the following localities. Canada. Manitoba. "Tp.2, Rge. 15, E. 1 Mer." (CNC). Rennie (CNC). Brandon (RBCM). Telford (NFC). Winnipeg (RBCM). Ontario. "Jonction Hwy 17 & 71" (CNC). Bainsville (LEMM). Prince Edward Co. (CNC, CUIC, MCZ, CAS, USNM). Lancaster (LEMM). Chaffeys Locks Biol. Station (CNC). Alfred (CNC). Long Sault (CNC). 10 km W North Gower (CNC). Nepean (CNC). Belleville (CUIC). Thwartway Island, St. Lawrence Is. Nat. Park (CNC). Point Pelee (CNC). 2 km SE Spencerville (CNC). 4 km SW Kanata (CNC). Ottawa (CNC). Constance Bay (CMN). 4 km N of Westport (CNC). Campden (CNC). Rondeau Prov. Park (CNC). Arnprior (CNC). Erieau (CNC). 7 km W. Carleton Place (CNC). Blackburn (CNC). Normandale (CNC). Pelee Island (CNC). Hamilton (CNC). Flint Hill, nr Kemptville (CNC). Trenton (CNC). Toronto (CUIC, MCZ, USNM). Milton (CNC). Quebec. Montreal (CNC). Rigaud (CNC). Gatineau (CNC, CAS). Blind Lake, Gatineau Park (CNC). Gatineau Park (DENH). Hudson Heights (CNC). Oka (CNC). Ormstown (CNC). United States of America. Alabama. Mobile Co.: Mt. Vernon (CUIC). Monroe Co.: Haines Island Park, 3.5 mi. W Franklin (FSC). Connecticut.Fairfield Co.: Westport (AMNH). Litchfield Co.: Torrington (DENH); Canaan (TAMU); Cornwall (CUIC, AMNH). Georgia.Clarke Co.: 5 mi W Athens (GMNH); Whitehall Forest (GMNH). Rabun Co.: Tally Mill Crk. at Hwy 28 (CNC); Satolah (CNC). Illinois. "N. Ill." (MCZ). “Ill.” (USNM). Maine.Cumberland Co.: Portland (CNC). Kennebec Co.: Monmouth (MCZ). Oxford Co.: Paris (MCZ). Massachusetts. “Mass.” (USNM). Bristol Co.: Swansea (MCZ); Somerset (MCZ); Dighton (MCZ); Fall River (MCZ). Hampshire Co.: Mount Tom (MCZ). Middlesex Co.: Waverly (USNM); Framingham (CNC, CUIC, MCZ); Lowell (MCZ); Sherborn (CUIC, AMNH); Hopkinton (CUIC); Cambridge (MCZ, USNM); Newton (MCZ). Norfolk Co.: Brookline (CUIC, MCZ, AMNH); Sharon (CUIC). Michigan.Marquette Co.: Marquette (USNM). Oakland Co. (CUIC). Wayne Co.: Detroit (MCZ, USNM). Minnesota.Crow Wing Co.: Brainerd (CNC). Hennepin Co.: Lake Minnetonka (CUIC). Missouri.Saint Charles Co.: St. Charles (MCZ). Nebraska.Cuming Co.: West Point (USNM). New Hampshire.Grafton Co.: Franconia (MCZ, AMNH); 0.5 mi S Rumney (DENH); Hanover (DENH). Rockingham Co.: Hampton (DENH, USNM); Odiorne Point State Park (DENH). Strafford Co.: Somersworth (DENH); Durham (DENH); 3 mi. E Durham (DENH). New Jersey.Union Co.: Union (CUIC, AMNH); Roselle (USNM); Elizabeth (USNM). New York. "S[taten] I[sland]" (MCZ). Dutchess Co.: Bulls Head (AMNH). Oswego Co.: North Pond (CUIC); Oswego (CUIC). Queens Co.: Flushing, L.I. (CUIC). North Carolina.Haywood Co.: Round Knob (USNM). Henderson Co.: 14 mi NW Hendersonville (SEMC). Macon Co.: 3 mi NW Highlands (DENH). Montgomery Co.: 2 mi S Eldorado (DENH). Yancey Co.: Black Mountains (AMNH). North Dakota.Richland Co.: Mirror Pool (USNM). Ohio. “Ohio” (MCZ). Pennsylvania. “Penn” (MCZ). Allegheny Co.: Allegheny (USNM). Rhode Island. “R.I.” (USNM). South Carolina.Calhoun Co.: Wannamaker NP, St. Matthews (JCC). Chester Co.: Leeds (JCC). Edgefield Co.: Sumter Nat. For. (DENH). Lexington Co.: West Columbia (JCC). Newberry Co.: Billy Dreher Island State Park (JCC). Pickens Co.: Nine Times (JCC). Union Co.: Sedalia (JCC). Tennessee. "Chilhowee Mountain" (CMN). Blount Co.: Rt. 129 just below rd. at The Narrows Overlook, GSMNP (LSAM); Ace Gap, GSMNP (LSAM). Cocke Co.: Gabes Mtn., GSMNP (LSAM). Sevier Co.: 0.5 mi W Laurel Falls Trailhead, GSMNP (LSAM); Twin Creeks, GSMNP (LSAM); Grapeyard Ridge (LSAM). Texas.Blanco Co.: Cypress Mill (USNM). Virginia.Giles Co.: Bald Knob, Mountain Lake (USNM); 9 km N Mountain Lake (USNM). Lee Co.: Pennington Gap (USNM). Wisconsin.Bayfield Co.: Bayfield (USNM). Dane Co.: Madison (TAMU). Shawano Co.: Tilleda (FSC).

Remarks.

Females are much more abundant in collections than males. Of 183 specimens randomly selected, 8 were males (4.4%) and 175 were females (95.6%). The males came from Georgia (n=1), Alabama (n=6), and Missouri (n=1). No males were found among the 160+ randomly selected specimens from Canada and the northern states.

Specimens were collected in January (n=1), February (n=1), March (n=89), April (n=64), May (n=8), June (n=61), July (n=20), August (n=95), September (n=31), October (n=38), November (n=6) and December (n=2).

Labels on specimens read "in leaf litter" (6 specimens); "in leaf litter of black birch and shrubs around and on areas of exposed rock" (71); "forest litter sifting" (2); "forest litter" (3); "moist forest berlese" (1).