Stenotothorax washtucna (Robinson)

Skelley, Paul E. & McPeak, Ron H., 2018, New species of Stenotothorax Schmidt from the northwestern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 681, pp. 1-31 : 15-16

Stenotothorax washtucna (Robinson)

Figure 26

Aphodius washtucna Robinson 1938: 108 ~ Hatch 1971: 448.

Aphodius (Stenotothorax) washtucna Robinson ~ M. Dellacasa 1988: 397.

Aphodius washtuca ~ Saylor 1940: 103 (misspelling).

Stenotothorax washtucna (Robinson) ~ Gordon and Skelley 2007: 215.

Aphodius constrictus Robinson 1946: 54 ~ Hatch 1971: 448; Gordon and Skelley 2007: 217 (syn.) Aphodius (Stenotothorax) constrictus Robinson ~ M. Dellacasa 1988: 397.

Diagnosis. The toothless clypeal margin, reduced basal pronotal marginal groove, and lack of explanate pronotum readily distinguish S. washtucna from any other species in the region. Stenotothorax washtucna appears to be widely distributed around the Scablands of Washington and nearby in Oregon and Idaho. We take this opportunity to present new and confirmed collection data.

Type material. Of A. washtucna , Washington, Ritzville ( USNM, examined) ; of A. constrictus , Washington, Whitman Co., Pullman ( USNM, examined) .

Materials studied. (n = 160) Collection data for materials confirmed to be S. washtucna are: IDAHO: Latah Co.: Moscow , 2560 ft, 14-I-1941, E. Prather [1 USNM] ; same locality, 17-XII-1960, Phyllis Strecker, R.E. Strecker [2 CMNC, 9 CNCI, 3 MJPC, 2 RMPC, 1 USNM, 6 WFBM] ; same locality, 17-XII-1960, W.F. Barr [1 WFBM] ; 2 mi. NE of Moscow, 24-III-1957, C.J. Peterson [1 WFBM] ; 14 mi. S. Moscow, 10-XII-1989, R.J. Sawby [1 WFBM] .

OREGON: Gilliam Co., Condon, 4-II-1951, Avery & Lauderdale [1 USNM] ; Jefferson Co.: 21-XII- 1969, C. Maser [2 USNM] ; E of Madras (milepost 8 on Hwy 26), 44°30.419′N, 121°04.048′W, 3043 ft, 8-XI-2013 to 12-II-2014, R.H. McPeak [3 FSCA, 3 RMPC] ; same locality, 12-II-2014 to 16-VI-2014, R.H. McPeak [1 RMPC] ; Morrow Co.: Ione ; 3.5 mi E on Hwy 74, mile post 32/33, 45°29.013′N, 119°44.939′W, 1227 ft, 1-X-2014 to 1-III-2015, R.H. McPeak [3 FSCA, 3 RMPC] ; Umatilla Co.: Adams , 24-X-1947, H.E. Morrison [1 USNM] ; Milton-Freewater , 11-XI-1954, L. Wallace [1 USNM] ; Hwy 395 between milepost 27/28 [S of Pilot Rock], 45°24.864′N, 118°59.461′W, 2824 ft, 1-X-2014 to 21-II-2015, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA] ; Wheeler Co.: N of Fossil , Cummings Hill, 45°02.729′N, 120°11.847′W, 3270 ft, 1-XI-2013 to 13-II-2014, R.H. McPeak [2 FSCA] ; N of Fossil , Cummings Hill, 45°02.729′N, 120°11.847′W, 3270 ft, 13-II-2014 to 19-V-2014, R.H. McPeak [2 RMPC] ; SW of Fossil (milepost 31 on Hwy 218), 44°54.131′N, 120°19.751′W, 2065 ft, 1-XI-2013 to 21-II-2014, R.H. McPeak [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] .

WASHINGTON: Adams Co.: 1.2 mi. N. of Hwy 26 on Foulkes Rd. , 46°48.545′N, 118°39.048′W, 1426 ft, 8-XI-2015 to 31-III-2016, R.H. McPeak [1 DCGC, 9 FSCA, 1 NHML, 11 RMPC, 1 WBWC] ; Ritzville , 30-III-1921, M. Robinson Collection [1 USNM A. washtucna type] ; same locality, 30-III-1921, M.C. Lane, [4 USNM] ; same locality, 14-III-1971, G.D. Alpert [4 FSCA] ; WSU-Lind Dryland Research Station , 8-XI-2007, Rod Rood [1 FSCA, 1 RMPC] ; Asotin Co.: Asotin, Sportsman access, 46°19′14″N, 117°13′44″W, 8-III- 2014, E. D’Auria [1 RMPC] ; Clarkston [1 FSCA] ; Benton Co.: ALE Site, IBP Plot (ungrazed), Hanford ( AEC) Res. , 10 mi. NW. Richland , 29-XI-1972, L. Rogers [2 USNM] ; same locality, 27-XII-1973, N.E. Woodley [1 USNM] ; ALE Site, Snively Basin, upper old field, Hanford ( AEC) Res. , 10 mi. NW. Richland , 29-III-1974, L. Rogers [1 USNM] ; same locality, 18-III-1975, L. Rogers [1 USNM] ; Rattlesnake Springs, Hanford AEC Res. , 1-III-1968, W. W. Cone [1 USNM] ; Rattlesnake, Prosser , 20-III-1934, I.W. Bales [1 FMNH, 1 WSU] ; Chelan Co., 3 mi. W. Wenatchee, No. 2 Canyon , 16-XII-1973, R.F. Lagler, M.C. Hunter [1 USNM] ; Klickitat Co., Roosevelt ; 0.2 mi. W of Roosevelt on Hwy 14, 45°44′25.80″N, 120°13′56.89″W, 300 ft, 9-IX-2014 to 21-II-2015, R.H. McPeak [5 FSCA, 5 RMPC] ; Walla Walla Co.: College Place , X-1946, B. Walter [1 WSU] ; Walla Walla , 18-II-1931, E.W. Jones [1 WFBM] ; same locality, 26-II-1931, E.W. Jones [1 WFBM] ; same locality, 27-II-1931, E.W. Jones [1 WFBM] ; same locality, 4-VI-1932, E.W. Jones [1 WFBM] ; same locality, 30-III-1937 [1 USNM] ; same locality, 12-IV-1937, R.W. Jones [1 USNM] ; Whitman Co.: Hwy 26 MP 104, 11-XI-2002, R. Rood [1 RMPC] ; Pullman [1 USNM, 1 WSU] ; same locality, W.M. Mann [1 USNM] ; same locality, XII, L.W. Saylor Colln. [1 CASC] ; same locality, XII-1897 [4 WSU] ; same locality, XII-1897, C.V. Piper [2 USNM] ; same locality, XI-1898 [1 USNM] ; same locality, 21-XI-1898, R.W. Doane [1 WSU] ; same locality, 12-I-1899, R.W. Doane [3 WSU] ; same locality, 7-IV- 1899, R.W. Doane [1 WSU] ; same locality, 5-I-1908, W.M. Mann [1 USNM] ; same locality, 12-I-1909 [1 FMNH] ; same locality, 19-XI-1910, M. Robinson Collection [1 USNM A. constrictus type] ; same locality, 22-IV-1917 [1 WSU] ; same locality, 2-V-1917 [2 FMNH, 1 WSU] ; same locality, 9-III-1926 [1 WSU] ; same locality, 22-XII-1929, Paul Eiocle [1 WSU] ; same locality, 12-III-1930 [1 WSU] ; same locality, 12-I-1939, R.W. Doane [1 FMNH] ; same locality, 16-IV-1951, N.M. Downie [1 CNCI] ; same locality, 25-IX-1967, R.D. Akre [3 FSCA] ; same locality, 27-XII-1982, W. J. Turner [1 RMPC] ; same locality, 14-III-1983, A.D. Mudge [2 WBWC] ; same locality, 14-III-1985, A. D. Mudge [7 RMPC] ; Pullman, WSU Golf Course , 2400 ft, 4-I-1989, W. J. Turner [2 RMPC] ; 6 mi. SW. Pullman , 2-XII-1967 [2 WSU] .

Observed habits. Specimens have been collected from sagebrush litter and grasslands with pocket gophers, in sage brush vole nest ( Lagurus curtatus (Cope) , Gordon and Skelley 2007), in thatch ant nests ( Formica spp.), in stored grain/wheat, walking on snow, in deer carrion, from soil, from burrow trap, and in barrier pitfall traps.

Remarks. Stenotothorax washtucna appears most similar to S. wintoni . See remarks under that species. Characters presented by Robinson for A. constrictus either fall well within normal variation ranges or are normal age-related wear on the type.

Figures

Figures 24–29. Stenotothorax species, head and pronotum. 24) S. lanei. 25) S. mcpeaki. 26) S. washtucna. 27) S. woodleyi, typical pronotum. 28) S. woodleyi, from Rufus, OR. 29) S. winnemucca, ventral protibia, female paratype from type locality.