Atheta (Pseudota) pseudoklagesi 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 : 123-125

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (Pseudota) pseudoklagesi Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 170-177

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8340°N, 66.7450°W, 11.VIII.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Mature mixed forest, in coral fungi on Populus log (LFC). Paratypes: Canada, New Brunswick, Restigouche Co., Dionne Brook P.N.A., 47.9064°N, 68.3441°W, 23.VIII.2011, R.P. Webster // Old-growth white spruce & balsam fir forest, in decaying gilled mushroom (1 ♂, 3 ♀, RWC); same locality as previous but 31.V-15.VI.2011, 27.VI-14.VII.2011, M. Roy & V. Webster, coll. // Old-growth white spruce & balsam fir forest, flight intercept traps (1 ♂, 3 ♀, RWC); off Bellone Road, 47.7755°N, 68.2501°W, 24.VIII.2011, R.P. Webster & M. Turgeon // Old spruce & fir forest, mossy forest floor, in gilled mushrooms of various stages of decay (1 ♂, RWC). Sunbury Co., Acadia Research Forest, 45.9799°N, 66.3394°W, 18.IX.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Road 7 control, mature red spruce & red maple forest, in gilled mushroom (1 ♂, RWC). York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8286°N, 66.7365°W, 3.VI.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Mature red spruce forest, under bark of red spruce (1 ♂, RWC); 8.4 km W of Tracy, off Rt 645, 45.6821°N, 66.7894°W, 6.V.2008, R.P. Webster coll. // wet alder swamp, in fleshy polypore fungi base of dead standing Populus sp. (1 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC).

Etymology.

The name of this species derives from the species name klagesi and the prefix pseudo-, false, in allusion to its similarity to that species.

Description.

Body length 2.6-2.8 mm, narrowly oval; head, pronotum, and posterior part of abdomen dark brown to nearly black, elytra dark brown with two oblique yellowish-brown bands, each ranging from shoulder to lower elytral suture; legs, bases of antennae, maxillary palpi, and often basal part of abdomen yellowish brown (Fig. 170); integument strongly glossy with meshed microsculpture; forebody with punctation and pubescence minute and dense, less so on head; head rounded posterolaterally, with moderately large eyes, each about as long as postorbital area; antennae with articles V–X subquadrate to strongly transverse; pronotum arcuate laterally, broadest just anterior of middle of its length, slightly transverse, distinctly wider than head and dis tinctly narrower than elytra, pubescence directed laterad from midline of disk; elytra strongly transverse, with pubescence directed posterolaterad; abdomen subparallel, narrower than elytra. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with bulbus moderately broad, narrowly oval, tubus narrowly elongate, triangular in dorsal view (Fig. 171), and long, straight for most of its length, with apical part strongly produced ventrally in lateral view (Fig. 172); internal sac with weak structures (Figs 171, 172); tergite VIII with apical margin truncate and serrate (Fig. 173); sternite VIII rounded apically (Fig. 174). Female. Tergite VIII with apical margin truncate (Fig. 175); sternite VIII broadly rounded apically (Fig. 176); spermatheca with narrow bulbus capsule and deep apical indentation, stem long, narrow, and coiled posteriorly (Fig. 177).

This is a sibling species of Atheta klagesi and was confused with the latter in collections. It may be distinguished from Atheta klagesi by the following combination of characters: size slightly larger, body less glossy, legs, bases of antennae, maxillary palps and bands on elytra less intensely yellowish in coloration, body color less contrasting overall; median lobe of aedeagus with tubus longer, with apex shaped slightly differently in lateral view; spermatheca very similarly shaped in the two species, and females may be difficult to identify without accompanying males.

Distribution.

Currently known only from NB, Canada, but because of confusion with Atheta klagesi , this species will undoubtedly prove to be more widespread.

Natural history.

Adults of this species were found in mature mixed forest, old-growth and old white spruce and balsam fir forests, a mature red spruce forest, and in a wet alder swamp. Specimens were collected from coral fungi on a Populus log, fleshy polypore fungi at base of a dead standing Populus , in decaying gilled mushrooms, in gilled mushrooms, and under bark of red spruce. Adults were collected from May to September.

Comments.

In the past, the two sibling species were mixed together and identified as Atheta klagesi . All material across Canada needs to be reexamined to understand the true distribution of the two species. In this paper, only NB specimens were reevaluated.