Ocypus nitens (Schrank, 1781)*

Bedard, Nicolas, Brunke, Adam, Bloin, Pierrick & Leclerc, Ludovic, 2024, New records of rove beetles from the Province of Quebec, and additional provincial records in Canada (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 1196, pp. 303-329 : 303

Ocypus nitens (Schrank, 1781)*

Note.

See Brunke et al. (2011) and Brunke (2016) for illustrations and identification. This large adventive species is native to Europe, the Caucasus, Iran, and Turkey ( Herman 2001), and was first detected in eastern North America in Massachusetts in 1944 ( Newton 1987). For more than fifty years, it apparently remained confined to a small area in New England ( Newton 1987; Brunke 2016), but it has since expanded rapidly its range to Maine by 1989, Rhode Island by 1995 ( Brunke et al. 2011), New York by 2010, Vermont and Ontario by 2014 ( Brunke 2016) and New Brunswick by 2018 ( Knopf and Gilmore 2018). Records from BugGuide were mentioned in Brunke (2016), but those from iNaturalist were not considered, and are here referred-to because they represent most of the observations available for the province of Quebec and Nova Scotia, and greatly extend its known range. The species has been known from Quebec since at least 2013 according to iNaturalist records. There were 38 INaturalist observations for the province of Quebec, 33 of which were confirmed and verified. These data (grouped here) represent a widespread area in southern Quebec, reaching its northernmost limit at the level of Montreal and Sherbrooke south to Godmanchester and Potton. We also provide physical specimen data to support the presence of Ocypus nitens in Quebec.

Specimen data.

Canada: QUEBEC - Montréal (45.5436, -73.6901), 31.V.2018, S. Dumont, pitfall trap (1, SDC); (45.5430 -73.6911), 13.VI.2023, handpicked under a rock (2, SDC); (45.5436, -73.6901), 20.X.2023, pitfall trap (2, SDC); 23.X.2023 (1, SDC); 12.XI.2023 (5, SDC); 16.XI.2023 (2, SDC), 17.XI.2023 (2, SDC). - MRC de Brome-Missisquoi, Saint-Armand (45.0221, -73.0582), 29.VII.2017, L. Leclerc, under hardwood log (1, LLC). - MRC de Deux-Montagnes, Parc national d’Oka, (Grande Baie, 45.4906, -74.0111), 9.X.2019, 14:00, P. de Tonnancour, climbing tree trunk [Collected with permit] (1, PdTC). - MRC de Memphremagog, Potton (45.0162, -72.4344), 15-29.VII.2022, N. Bédard, pitfall trap in a mixed maple forest, det.: NB (1, NBC); Stanstead-Est (45.1578, -72.0291), 28.IV.2018, S. Mailhot, caught in flight (1, LLC). - MRC du Val-Saint-François, Racine (45.459475, -72.161956), 15.V.2021, P. Bloin, under log of deciduous tree (1, PBC). - MRC Les Appalaches, Adstock (46.0049, -71.1104), 5.XI.2022, P. Bloin, sifted from moss in a balsam fir stand (1, PBC).

Internet data.

Canada: NOVA SCOTIA - Annapolis Co., Clementsvale (44.635474, -65.566914), 19.X.2021, Alexis Orion, Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 99352464); Lake La Rose (44.705801, -65.440164), 20.III.2022, Ashlea Viola (@ashlea03), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 109590192); Round Hill (44.769997, -65.409845), 14.VI.2022, (@spaceexplorer), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 121718039). - Lunenberg Co., Chelsea (44.374644, -64.727725), 13.IV.2022, Heather Haughn (@hhaughn), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 111330891); Chelsea (44.374808, -64.727878), 13.IX.2022, Heather Haughn (@hhaughn), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 134902909); Chelsea (44.374642, -64.727708), 16.IX.2022, Heather Haughn (@hhaughn), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 135278623); Conquerall (44.311425, -64.554755), 6.VII.2023, Jamie VanBuskirk (@jamievanburskirk), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 171483228). - Kings Co., Kentville (45.076912, -64.494473), 22.V.2022, (@kmelville), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 118447209); Bishopsville (45.014267, -64.275407), XII.2022, (@cricket_toadums), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 144268319); Kentville (45.062484, -64.56368), 13.V.2023, Dan Casey (@dan_casey), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 172019838); Casey Corner (45.01433, -64.566744), VI.2023, (@cricket_toadums), Recorded through INaturalist (Obs.: 169149071).

Distribution in Canada.

ON, QC, NB, NS ( Brunke 2016) - New to Quebec and Nova Scotia.