Paractenicera Johnson

Majka, Christopher G. & Johnson, Paul J., 2008, The Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: faunal composition, new records, and taxonomic changes, Zootaxa 1811, pp. 1-33 : 24-25

Paractenicera Johnson , New Genus

Type species. Corymbites fulvipes Bland, 1863 ; here designated

Description. Body elongate, narrow, subparallel at mid-length, depressed. Integument shining, moderately to densely punctured, umbilicate on head and pronotum; pubescence short, cinereous. Head with frons weakly concave; supra-antennal ridge directed antero-medially. Antenna strongly serrate; short, reaching only to apex of hind angle; segment 3 serrate, coarsely punctate. Pronotum with length 1.35 X width; disc slightly convex, with shallow median canaliculation; hind angle truncate at apex; dorsal carina moderately strong; basal incisures distinct. Prosternum with anterior lobe extended, 0.35 X width, slightly deflexed; intercoxal process planar. Hypomeron with mesal margin simple or with narrow, flattened, punctate bead; posterior margin deeply emarginated. Scutellum triangular. Mesepimeron narrowly adjacent to coxal cavity. Metaventrite with anterior intercoxal process quadrangular. Elytral striae striatopunctate, subsulcate; intervals flat to weakly convex, punctures adjacent to stria; apex briefly mucronate at suture. Aedeagus with median lobe deflexed apically; lateral lobe hooked apically, apex membranous and setose. Gonocoxites lightly sclerotized; ovipositor rods longer than 0.5 X length of ventrites 1–5; bursa copulatrix expanded, without saccate colleterial glands, with opaque collar at constriction; spermathecal receptacle saccate, arcuate, wall corrugated and lightly sclerotized; spermatheca short, saccate; spermathecal reservoir short, tubular; accessory gland duct thick basally, gradually narrowing from spermathecal receptacle.

Name derivation. The genus name is based on Ctenicera , with the prefix “para-” from the Greek prefix "παρα", indicating close position, to indicate the close affinity with the former genus.

Species included. Paractenicera exilis (Notman, 1920) , new combination; Paractenicera fulvipes (Bland, 1863) , new combination.

Paractenicera fulvipes (Bland, 1863)

NEW BRUNSWICK: Kings Co.: Grand Bay, 24.vi.1990, D.F. McAlpine, NBM. Newly recorded from New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia collected almost exclusively in deciduous forests of various ages; very occasionally in coniferous forests.

Pseudanostirus hamatus (Say, 1834) , New Combination

Elater hamatus Say, 1834

Corymbites hamatus ; LeConte, 1853 Ludius hamatus ; Van Dyke, 1932 Ctenicera hamata ; Dietrich, 1945

This species has been previously recorded from both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (Table 1). Most species closely related to P. h a m a t u s were already transferred to Pseudanostirus by Gurjeva (1989) and Tarnawski (1996). Adults of this species fit the description of Pseudanostirus given by Gurjeva (1989).

Pseudanostirus hieroglyphicus (Say, 1834)

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Kings Co.: Woodville Mills, 23.vii.2001, C.G. Majka, mixed forest, CGMC; Queens Co.: St Patricks, 13.vii.2002, C.G. Majka, coniferous forest on Picea rubens , CGMC; St Patricks, 25.vi.2003, C.G. Majka, mixed forest, CGMC.

Newly recorded from Prince Edward Island. In Nova Scotia collected from both deciduous and coniferous (red spruce ( Picea rubens ) and balsam fir ( Abies balsamaea ) forest stands of various ages. In parklands on undergrowth ( Brooks 1960).

Selatosomus splendens (Ziegler, 1844)

This species was reported from Nova Scotia by Bousquet (1991), however, there are no vouchers specimens in any collection examined, nor are there published records from the province. Accordingly, the species is removed from the faunal list of Nova Scotia. It does occur in neighbouring New Brunswick and should be looked for in Nova Scotia since it could plausibly occur there.