Trichopetalum lunatum (Harger)

Shear, William A., 2010, 2385, Zootaxa 2385, pp. 1-62 : 12-17

Trichopetalum lunatum (Harger)

Figs. 1–10, Map 1

T. lunatum Harger, 1872:118 . Cook & Collins, 1895:63, figs. 52–54. Palmén, 1952:8, figs. 10–19. Shear, 1972:277,

figs. 497–499. Trichopetalum album Cook & Collins, 1895:64 , figs. 22–29. Synonmized by Causey 1969:119. Trichopetalum cornutum Cook & Collins, 1895:66 , figs. 46–49. NEW SYNONYMY. Not Shear, 1972:288, figs. 511–

518.

Types: Holotype from New Haven, Connecticut, in Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, New Haven (Shelley 1993); Types of T. album from Syracuse, New York, probably in USNM but not located in 2000. There are several samples of T. lunatum from New York in the USNM general collection that are labelled with collecting dates in the 1890s, but which have no further locality data. The handwriting on these labels is identical to that on handwritten labels by O. F. Cook. Types of T. cornutum from Bloomington, Indiana, are probably in USNM, but were not located in 2000, though the specimens had been seen by Lewis and Hoffman (1997).

Note on synonymy: Trichopetalum cornutum has been consistently regarded as a distinct species, but even Cook & Collins (1895) were able to demonstrate little difference between it and album . My studies of all available specimens place the original illustrations within the variation found in lunatum , of which album is a clear synonym. Seeing only New York material and comparing it with Indiana specimens, Cook & Collins were not able to recognize the range of variation. The Michigan, Indiana and Illinois specimens so reported by Causey (1951, 1967) are, to the extent that I could track them down, based on males of lunatum or on samples of females only. Snider (1991) reported only lunatum from Michigan, and strongly doubted Causey’s record of cornutum . Causey (1967) also reported cornutum from Kentucky and Tennessee; I was unable to trace these specimens. In 1972, I illustrated what I thought was cornutum from Highlands, North Carolina, but those specimens and others from the same region are described below as Trichopetalum dickbrucei , new species.

Diagnosis: Distinct from T. uncum in lacking a large lateral branch of the angiocoxite ( Fig. 11), from T. dickbrucei in the blunter, much less incised tip of the angiocoxite ( Fig. 26), and from T. montis , which has a much expanded angiocoxite tip ( Fig. 23).

Etymology: the species name means “like a crescent moon,” and refers to the shape of the eyepatch ( Cook & Collins 1895).

Male from Bethany, Connecticut: Length, 6.5 mm, width 0.85 mm. Color pale tan (after long preservation; fresh specimens almost white), faintly mottled darker purplish tan on head, collum, and anterior segments. Ten ocelli in lunate patch. Pregonopodal legs strongly crassate ( Fig. 1), legpair 6 not distinctly the largest, legpair 7 only slightly larger than postgonopodal legs. Legpairs 10, 11 with coxal glands, otherwise unmodified.

Gonopods ( Figs. 2–5, 7, 8) with large sternum bulging anteriorly on each side, poorly sclerotized and incomplete posteriorly. Coxae fused in midline; angiocoxites tapering, curved, tip with one or two shallow indentations, unbranched. Colpocoxite well-sclerotized, with characteristic branches and teeth; large fimbriate branch arises basally near juncture of colpocoxite with coxal body. Ninth legpair strongly reduced ( Fig. 9).

Female from Bethany, Connecticut: Length, 6.7 mm, width 0.90 mm. Similar in nonsexual characters to male. Cyphopods as in Fig. 6.

Distribution: See Map 1 for selected records. Material examined: CONNECTICUT: Litchfield Co: Kettletown State Park, 14 May 1964, J. and W. Ivie, male, female (AMNH). New Haven Co.: Bog 2 mi N of Bethany, 29 May 1965, J. and W. Ivie, male, female (AMNH); Yale Bird Preserve, New Haven, 3 April 1960, C. Remington, female (VMNH). ILLINOIS: Clark Co.: Rocky Branch, Dolson, 13 April 1949, E. Ross et al, (INHS). INDIANA: Clark Co.: Rocky Branch, Dolson, 13 April 1949, E. Ross, males (INHS). Porter Co ,: Dune Acres, 28 March 1943, H. Dybas, male, females (FMNH); Dune Acres, Cowle’s Bog, 16 April 1960, W. Suter, male, females (FSCA). Tippecanoe Co.: Wabash Township, south Section 22, 8, 15 May 1971, H. Lawson, males (FSCA). KENTUCKY: Wolfe Co.: 6.3 mi NW Pine Ridge, 12 March 1966, B. Branson (FSCA). MASSACHUSETTS: Middlesex Co.: Pepperell, May 1961, H. W. Levi, female (MCZ). Norfolk Co.: Wellesley, 18 May 1913, collector unknown, female (USNM). MICHIGAN: Berrien Co.: Bridgeman, 4 May 1962, males, W. Suter (FSCA); Lakeside, Warren Woods, 14 January 1960, W. Suter, (FSCA). Kent Co.: Rogue River State Game Area, near Kent City, 4 October 1968, B. Armstrong (FSCA). Washtenaw Co.: Ann Arbor, 2 April 1930, S. L. Mines, male, female (USNM). NEW HAMPSHIRE: Coos Co.: near Second Lake, October 1969, P. J. Darlington, male, females (VMNH). Grafton Co.: Zealand Road, 6 mi SSE of Twin Mtn., 600 m asl, A. Newton and M. Thayer, male, female (MCZ); West Thornton, Hubbard Brook, 24 September 1982, R. Reeves, males, females (WAS). Hillsboro Co.: Mt. Monadnock, 14 June 1970, S. B. Peck, females (MCZ). NEW JERSEY: Essex Co.: Short Hills, 13 June 1908, collector unknown, female (AMNH). Warren Co.: Delaware Water Gap, 12 November 1962, D. Whitehead, male (USNM). NEW YORK: Cattaraugus Co.: Allegany State Park, 17 June 1968, S. B. Peck, males, females (VMNH), 27 June 1971, W. Muchmore, male, females (VMNH). Essex Co.: Big Moose, 13 August 1904, “FCP,” females (USNM). Jefferson Co.: Clayton, May 1891, O. F. Cook and G. Collins, males, females (USNM). Niagara Co.: Niagara Falls, 27 June 1908, F. Silvestri, male, female (AMNH). Onondaga Co. : Marcellus, June 1890, collector unknown, males, females (USNM); Skaneateles, 25 June 1908, F. Silvestri, males, females (AMNH). Tompkins Co.: Ithaca, F. Silvestri, juveniles (AMNH). Wayne Co.: Wolcott, May 1893, collector unknown (USNM). Westchester Co.: Fort Lee, 16 June 1908, F. Silvestri, males, females (AMNH). OHIO: Wayne Co.: Funk’s Hollow, Wooster, September, 1959, 10 May 1962, 7 September 1966, A. Weaver, males, females (NCSM). PENNSYLVANIA: Berks Co.: Morgantown, 27 March 1971, W. B. Muchmore, female (VMNH). Bucks Co.: Jamison, Horseshoe Bend, Neshaminy Creek, 4 April, 10 October 1954, W. Ivie, males, females (AMNH). Montgomery Co.: Telford, 1 October 1947, T. Stannard, male, female (FMNH, INHS, FSCA). VERMONT: Caledonia Co. : Grant’s Mill, July 1913, R. V. Chamberlin, male, females (MCZ); Lake Groton, same data; St. Johnsbury, same data (MCZ). Windham Co.: Jamaica, 11 July 1913, R. V. Chamberlin (?), males, females (USNM). VIRGINIA: City of Virginia Beach: Seashore State Park, 31 March 1987, K. A. Buhlmann, males (VMNH). WEST VIRGINIA: Preston Co.: Cooper’s Rock State Forest, 25 June 1971, W. A. Shear, males, females (VMNH). Randolph Co.: Cheat Bridge, TNC Preserve, 3850’ asl, N38.61667°, W79.97083°, 8 October 2000, W. Arnold and M. Hight, males (WAS); Bear Haven Recreation Area, Monongahela National Forest, 3423’ asl, N38.9°, N82.1°, 20 February 1998, W. Arnold, female (WAS). WISCONSIN: Kewaunee Co.: Kewaunee, 1 May 1955, A. Ziemer, males, females (FMNH).

Literature records: localities in southern NEWFOUNDLAND, Canada ( Palmén 1952: excellent illustrations of gonopods). Localities in ONTARIO, QUEBEC, and NOVA SCOTIA ( Shelley, 1988). MICHIGAN: Alcona, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Crawford, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Kalkaska, Livingston, Montmorency, Muskegon, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Washtenaw Counties ( Snider, 1991). It is likely the species is general in Michigan. Williams & Hefner (1928) recorded the species from OHIO, but without specific localties: “southern half of the state.” The Wayne Co. records given here are from northern Ohio; lunatum is probably general throughout the state. The single Virginia record given above is anomalous, since only T. stannardi Causey has been reported (see below) from the Atlantic coastal plain south of New York. Perhaps this represents an introduction.

Maps 1–4. Map 1. Eastern United States, showing selected records of Trichopetalum lunatum (filled squares). Map 2. Central eastern United States, showing selected records of T. uncum (filled squares), T. dux (filled circles), T. jerryblatti (open circles), T. dickbrucei (filled squares). Map 3. Parts of Virginia and West Virginia, showing selected records of Zygonopus species. Z. whitei , filled circles; Z. krekeleri , open circles; Z. weyeriensis , open squares; Z. packardi , filled squares. Map 4. Central Tennessee, showing selected records of Scoterpes ventus (filled circles)

Causey (1967) reported this species (as cornutum ) from Wolfe Co., KENTUCKY, but those specimens could not be found and it is likely that the Ohio River is a barrier to lunatum , which must have entered glaciated territory in Ohio from the northeast. Also reporting the species as cornutum, Causey (1951) recorded it from Clark Co. and “Donaldson”, ILLINOIS, “Donaldson” could not be located, nor could the specimens, but the Clark Co. specimens are T. uncum ; see the discussion of that species below. Causey (1967) listed cornutum from Cade’s Cove, Blount Co., TENNESSEE, but I have only seen T. uncum from that place. I do not think that T. lunatum occurs in Illinois, Kentucky or Tennessee.

Though not recorded from MAINE, it undoubtedly exists there, having been collected just over the border at Second Lake in northern New Hampshire, and the West Virginia records also make occurance in western MARYLAND almost certain. Shelley (1988) argues convincingly for occurrance in PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND and NEW BRUNSWICK, Canada. My 1972 report of lunatum from British Columbia was based on a mislabelled specimen .

Notes: Some midwestern specimens (Indiana) previously assigned to T. cornutum have a slightly different angiocoxite tip ( Fig. 8), but specimens from Michigan and Ohio are intermediate between these and the New England-New York material.

Collection records show this species being most commonly collected in the spring and autumn, with a few winter records (December-February). Late June and July records are mostly from higher elevations in the south, or from the most northerly localities. This suggests a pattern of winter activity. Palmén (1952) remarked that when held in the hand or exposed to sunlight for only a few minutes, specimens of T. lunatum curled up and died. Sparse ecological notes on collecting labels associate the species most often with deciduous leaf litter, but at least in some places with spruce or hemlock litter, and once with sphagnum moss. In Indiana it was collected in leaf mould from a tamarack swamp between sand dunes. I collected lunatum in Preston Co., West Virginia, sorting chestnut oak litter under a cliff, an unusually dry habitat for the species, which was also collected in Massachusetts in “dry woods.” As well as hand-sorting, specimens were taken in Berlese samples and in pitfall traps.

Causey (1951) identified the specimens (see above records) from Telford , Pennsylvania, as T. lunatum , but curiously, specimens from this locality retained in her own collection (now FSCA) are labelled as types of a never-published new species, “ Trichopetalum orientalis.” Confusingly, a type series under this unpublished, and hence unavailable, name is also in INHS .