Gnypeta helenae Casey, 1906

Klimaszewski, Jan, Savard, Karine, Pelletier, Georges & Webster, Reginald, 2008, Species review of the genus Gnypeta Thomson from Canada, Alaska and Greenland (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae): systematics, bionomics and distribution, ZooKeys 2 (2), pp. 11-84 : 59-62

14. Gnypeta helenae Casey

( Figs 16 , 34 a, b , 148-155 , 194 )

Gnypeta helenae Casey 1906: 193 ; Moore and Legner 1975: 422. TYPE LOCALITY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Montana, Kalispell, H.F. Wickham (USNM). Holotype not examined, type on loan.

Gnypeta deserticola Casey 1906: 193 . Synonymized by Moore and Legner 1975: 422. LECTOTYPE (male): UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Ari. [zona]; [in orig. description: Benson, G.W. Dunn]; deserticola Csy [Casey’s handwriting]; Type USNM, 38860; Casey bequest 1925; Lectotypus, male, Gnypeta deserticola Casey , des. V.I. Gusarov 2000 [designation not published] (USNM). Present designation. Examined. Synonymy confirmed.

Gnypeta oregona Casey 1906: 199 . Synonymized by Moore and Legner 1975: 422. LECTOTYPE (male): UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Oregon, Portland, [H.F. Wickham]; oregona Csy [Casey]; Type USNM 38859; Casey determ. helenae 2; Lectotypus Gnypeta oregona Casey, V.I. Gusarov des. 2002 [designation not published]; present designation label (USNM). Examined. PARALECTOTYPES: Oregon, Portland; [Casey des. male = female]; oregona 2, Paratype USNM 38851 (USNM) female; Portland, oregona 3, Paratype USNM 38859 (USNM) female. Examined. Synonymy confirmed.

Material examined

Specimens are listed in Appendix A.

Diagnosis

This species can be recognized by the following combination of characters: body length 2.7-3.0 mm ( Fig. 16 ); elytra at suture as long as pronotum or slightly longer and about 1/4 wider than maximum width of pronotum ( Fig. 16 ); abdomen at base distinctly narrower than elytra and subparallel ( Fig. 16 ); antennal article 4 strongly elongate, 5-10 moderately to strongly elongate ( Figs 34 a, b ); median lobe of aedeagus with apical part narrowly triangularly produced with sinuate edges in lateral view ( Fig. 148 ); spermatheca S-shaped, capsule pipe-shaped and consisting of a small cylindrical apical part angularly connected with a narrowly elongate sinuate stem ( Fig. 153 ); male tergite 8 truncate apically and with slight apical emargination ( Fig. 151 ); female sternite 8 with large apical emargination ( Fig. 155 ). The elongate antennal articles 1-10; distinct shape of spermatheca; medially emarginated female sternite 8, and the shape of the apical portion of the median lobe of the aedeagus are the best characters for recognition of this species. This species is very similar to G. canadensis sp. nov., from which it may be distinguished with certainty by the genital differences: spermatheca with thicker posterior part of capsule and stem, and broader and less ventrally produced apical part of median lobe.

Description

Body length 2.7-3.0 mm; dark brown to black, elytra and legs and/or tarsi often rust brown ( Fig. 16 ); integument strongly glossy; pubescence yellowish grey and moderately long and dense; antennal article 4 strongly elongate, 5-10 moderately to strongly elongate ( Figs 34 a, b ); head and pronotum of about the same width ( Fig. 16 ); elytra and abdomen (less so) wider than either head or pronotum; head rounded posteriorly; pronotum broadest in apical third, pubescence directed anterad along midline and laterad elsewhere; elytra at suture as long as pronotum or slightly longer and about 1/4 wider than maximum width of pronotum, pubescence directed obliquely postero-laterad, in wavy pattern medially on each side of disc ( Fig. 16 ); abdomen subparallel, distinctly narrower than elytra at base ( Fig. 16 ); metatarsus with basal article slightly longer than the following article. Male. Tergite 8 transverse and truncate apically with small median emargination ( Fig. 151 ). Sternite 8 elongate and broadly rounded apically ( Fig. 152 ). Median lobe of aedeagus with narrowly produced apical part of tubus in lateral view ( Fig. 148 ); bulbus moderately enlarged in dorsal view ( Fig. 149 ); internal sac with structures as illustrated ( Figs 148, 149 ). Female. Tergite 8 truncate apically ( Fig. 154 ). Sternite 8 broadly rounded posteriorly with large median emargination ( Fig. 155 ). Spermatheca S-shaped, capsule pipe-shaped and consisting of a small cylindrical apical part angularly connected to a narrow tubular and sinuate stem ( Fig. 153 ).

Distribution (Fig. 194)

Gnypeta helenae is a western Nearctic species recorded from Montana ( Casey 1906), and also recorded under two synonymic names from Arizona and Oregon ( Casey 1906; Moore and Legner 1975). We report this species for the first time from Canada in Alberta and British Columbia.

Collection and habitat data

Adults were collected in June, July, August and October, some from silt around Typha on a river bank.

Comments

The late Gustav Adolf Lohse (Hamburg, Germany) worked on revision of Nearctic Gnypeta but was not able to complete his project. One CNC specimen of this species bears his identification label as “ G. glabra Lohse ” [manuscript name].

Figures

Figs 15-20. Gnypeta species: 15, G. carbonaria; 16, G. helenae; 17, G. canadensis; 18, G. nigrella; 19, G. saccharina; and 20, G. minuta [18-20, apical part of abdomen removed]. Scale = 1 mm

Figs 21-38. Antennae of Gnypeta species: G. ashei: 21a. male, 21b. female; G. brincki: 22a. male, 22b. female; G. atrolucens: 23a. male, 23b. female; G. sellmani: 24a. male, 24b. female; G. dentata: 25a. male, 25b. female; G. groenlandica: 26a. male, 26b. female: G. brevicornis: 27a. male, 27b. female; G. caerulea: 28a. male, 28b. female; G. lohsei: 29a. male, 29b. female; G. crebrepunctata: 30a. male, 30b. female; G. manitobae: 31b. female; G. uteana: 32a. male, 32b. female; G. carbonaria: 33a. male, 33b. female; G. helenae: 34a. male, 34b. female; G. canadensis: 35a. male, 35b. female; G. nigrella: 36a. male, 36b. female; G. saccharina: 37a. male, 37b. female; G. minuta: 38a. male, 38b. female. Scale = 1 mm

Figs 148-155. Genital structures of Gnypeta helenae: 148, median lobe of the aedeagus in lateral view, 149, dorsal view; 150, paramere; 151, male tergite 8; 152, male sternite 8; 153, spermatheca; 154, female tergite 8; 155, female sternite 8.

Fig. 194. Collection localities in Canada of G. crebrepunctata, G. dentata, and G. helenae.