Tinotus trisectus Casey, 1906

Brunke, Adam J., Klimaszewski, Jan, Dorval, Julie-Anne, Bourdon, Caroline, Paiero, Steven M. & Marshall, Stephen A., 2012, New species and distributional records of Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from Ontario, Canada, with a checklist of recorded species, ZooKeys 186, pp. 119-206 : 123-124

Tinotus trisectus Casey, 1906 New Canadian Record Fig. 5Map 5 genitalia in Klimaszewski et al. (2002)

Material examined.

CANADA: ON:Bruce Co., Port Elgin, 15.vii.1980, P.F. Karrow, 1 (DEBU); Chatham-Kent Co., Glencoe, carrot field, pitfall, 17.v.2007, A. Brunke, 1 (DEBU); Hald.-Norfolk Reg., Turkey Point Prov. Park, site 2, 42°42'28"N, 80°20'29"W, savannah, at lights, 5.vii.2011, Brunke & Paiero, 1 (DEBU); Wellington Co., Guelph, Victoria Rd. & Conservation Line, soybean field, pitfall, 4.viii.2009, A. Brunke, 2 (DEBU), Guelph, woodland edge, 9.x.1991, C.S. Blanev, 1 (DEBU).

Distribution.

Canada: ON; USA: AZ, CA, ID, NY, OR, PA, TN ( Klimaszewski et al. 2002; Gusarov 2003a). Native.

Comments.

This species may be distinguished from all eastern Tinotus but Tinotus caviceps based on the combination of reddish body and elytra with short, bristle-like setae that are directed obliquely laterad ( Klimaszewski et al. 2002). The aedeagi and spermathecae of Tinotus trisectus and Tinotus caviceps are extremely similar and there was previously some doubt whether these two species were distinct due to the limited available material of Tinotus trisectus ( Klimaszewski et al. 2002). Gusarov (2003a) also followed this concept of the two species, corrected a synonymy and provided additional records for Tinotus trisectus . After examination of Ontario specimens of Tinotus caviceps and Tinotus trisectus we provide further evidence to maintain the status of these species based on the following consistent and unambiguous differences: internal sac of aedeagus of Tinotus caviceps with lower sclerite hooked ventrally in lateral view, not hooked in Tinotus trisectus ; in both sexes, antennomere III of Tinotus caviceps strongly flattened and broadened in lateral view, cylindrical in Tinotus trisectus ; elytral suture of Tinotus caviceps slightly but distinctly shorter than length of pronotum at midline, approximately the same length or longer in Tinotus trisectus .

Tinotus trisectus appears to prefer open habitats including woodland edges, agricultural fields and oak savannah. Previously, nothing was known about its habitat associations. This species is probably broadly distributed across North America, reaching its northern limit in southern Canada.