Mocyta amblystegii (Brundin)

Klimaszewski, Jan, Webster, Reginald P., Bourdon, Caroline, Pelletier, Georges, Godin, Benoit & Langor, David W., 2015, Review of Canadian species of the genus Mocyta Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), with the description of a new species and a new synonymy, ZooKeys 487, pp. 111-139 : 118

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

1. Mocyta amblystegii (Brundin) Figs 3 a–j

Atheta amblystegii Brundin 1952: 135; Lohse et al. 1990, Smetana 2004.

Diagnosis.

Body narrowly oval (Fig. 3a), length 2.5-3.0 mm; uniformly brown to black, appendages light brown (Fig. 3a); antennal articles I-IV elongate and V-X subquadrate or slightly transverse (Fig. 3a); pronotum broad, strongly transverse, rounded laterally and arcuate basally; elytra transverse and at least as long as pronotum; broadly arcuate laterally. MALE: median lobe of aedeagus as illustrated (Figs 3 b–d); tergite VIII truncate apically (Fig. 3e); sternite VIII produced apically, with numerous macrosetae and with a broad space between base of disc and antecostal suture, the suture nearly straight or slightly sinuate (Fig. 3f). FEMALE: spermatheca with capsule sac-shaped, as illustrated (Figs 3g, h); tergite and sternite VIII truncate apically (Figs 3i, j).

Adults are externally similar to those of Mocyta fungi and may be identified with certainty by the pear-shaped capsule of spermatheca. The presence of males in Canadian populations of Mocyta amblystegii and lack of males in Canadian populations of Mocyta fungi may also aid in identification of this species.

Distribution.

Mocyta amblystegii is, according to Lohse ( Lohse et al. 1990), a holarctic species recorded in North America from Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon and northern Manitoba ( Lohse et al. 1990). In Europe, it is recorded from Finland, Norway, and Sweden ( Smetana 2004).

Natural history.

Adults were found under leaf litter and in moss ( Lohse et al. 1990).