Atheta (sensu lato) thujae 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 : 120-122

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (sensu lato) thujae Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 154-160

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, Charlotte Co., 10 km NW of New River Beach, 45.2110 N, 66.6170°W, 17-31.V.2010, R. Webster & C. MacKay, coll. // old growth Eastern White Cedar forest, Lindgren funnel trap (LFC). Paratypes: Canada, New Brunswick, Carleton Co., Jackson Falls, "Bell Forest", 46.2200°N, 67.7231°W, 12-19.VI.2008, R.P. Webster, coll. // Rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers, Lindgren funnel trap (1 ♂, RWC). Charlotte Co., 10 km NW of New River Beach, 45.2110 N, 66.6170°W, 30.IV-17.V.2010, 17-31.V.2010, R. Webster & C. MacKay, coll. // old growth Eastern White Cedar forest, Lindgren funnel traps (4 ♀, RWC). York Co., Charters Settlement, 45.8395°N, 66.7391°W, 26.V.2008, R.P. Webster coll. // mixed forest, in decaying moldy corncobs and cornhusks (1 ♀, LFC).

Etymology.

The specific name, thujae, is an adjective derived from the generic name Thuja , in reference to the dominant tree species, Thuja occidentalis L., where the holotype and most paratypes were collected.

Description.

Body length 2.9-3.0 mm, narrowly subparallel; head, posterior part of abdomen, impressions of abdominal tergites, and medioapical parts of antennae dark brown, with remainder of body yellowish (Fig. 154); integument moderately glossy except strongly so on abdomen, with distinct meshed microsculpture; head slightly narrower than pronotum, elongate, gradually narrowed basally from posterior margin of eyes, eyes small, postocular area long and at least twice as long as diameter of eye; antennae with article V subquadrate and VI–X moderately to strongly transverse; pronotum slightly narrower than elytra, approximately rectangular, with sharp lateral margin, pubescence directed obliquely laterad from midline of disk; elytra slightly transverse with pubescence directed posteriad; abdomen subparallel with deep basal impression on first three visible tergites. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with bulbus broad, oval, tubus short, triangular in dorsal view, short and straight in lateral view (Fig. 155); internal sac structures not apparent; tergite VIII with apex truncate, bearing traces of crenulation (Fig. 156); sternite VIII rounded apically (Fig. 157). Female. Tergite and sternite VIII arcuate apically (Figs 158, 159); spermatheca small with spherical capsule and short sinuate stem (Fig. 160).

Distribution.

Known only from NB, Canada.

Natural history.

Specimens were captured in Lindgren funnel traps in an old-growth eastern white cedar forest, a rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers, and from decaying moldy corncobs and cornhusks in a mixed forest. Adults were collected during May and June.

Comments.

This species is unique in the shape of its genitalic features, and there are no closely related species as far as we know.