Philhygra pseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, 2021

Brunke, Adam J., Pentinsaari, Mikko & Klimaszewski, Jan, 2021, Integrative taxonomy of Nearctic and Palaearctic Aleocharinae: new species, synonymies, and records (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 1041, pp. 27-99 : 27

Philhygra pseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari sp. nov. Fig. 35A-G

Type material.

Holotype (male) (CNC): NEW BRUNSWICK. YORK CO: New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8341°N, 66.7445°W, 22 April 2005, R.P. Webster coll. / mature spruce and cedar forest, seepage area, in saturated sphagnum and leaf litter / HOLOTYPE Philhygra pseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari sp. nov., des. Klimaszewski 2021 [red printed label]. Paratypes (12: LFC, CNC): same data as holotype (1 male, CNC). Canada, New Brunswick, York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8331°N, 66.7410°W, 14.04.2005, mixed forest in litter and sphagnum, R.P. Webster (1 male, LFC); York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8390°N, 66.7308°W, 18.04.2005, mixed forest under bark, R.P. Webster (1 male, LFC); York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8428°N, 66.7279°W, 20.04.2005, mixed forest small sedge marsh in moist grass litter and sphagnum, R.P. Webster (2 females, LFC, 1 female CNC); York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, mixed forest, near small shaded brook, in leaf litter and moss, 9.05.2005, R.P. Webster (1 female, CNC); York Co., Canterbury Trail to Browns Mtn. Fen, 45.8978°N, 67.6273°W, mature cedar forest near stream, sifting leaf litter, 02.05.2005, M. Giguere and R. Webster (1 male, CNC); Northumberland Co., Goodfellow Brook Protected Area, 46.8943°N, 65.3796°W, old growth, wet eastern cedar swamp, in litter and moss on hummocks, near water, 23.05.2007, R.P. Webster (1 female, CNC). Quebec, Scotstown, 28.04.2008, C. Levesque, Barcode sample, BCO1 vial #X16, 26.05.2010, R. Civade (1 male, LFC). Ontario, Nipissing Co., Algonquin Prov. Park near Brent, 19.08.1980, R. Baranowski (1 female, LFC); same except: 21.08.1980 (1 male, LFC).

Non-types

(DNA-barcoded specimens). Canada: New Brunswick: Restigouche Co., 9 km S of Saint Arthur, 47.818, -66.756, eastern white cedar swamp, in moss and litter near small ponds, 14.VI.2006, R.P. Webster (1, cRW).

Etymology.

Prefix - pseudo meaning false/not genuine, added to the sibling species name P. laevicollis ( Mäklin).

Diagnosis.

This species is similar externally and genitally to P. laevicollis but may be distinguished from it by the following combination of characters: body on average narrower, antennomeres 6-7 more elongate (Fig. 35A ), ventral margin of tubus of the median lobe of aedeagus straight apically (Fig. 35B ) (sinuate in P. laevicollis , Fig. 33B ), apical sclerites of internal sac without large spike-like projections (Fig. 35B ).

Description.

Body narrowly subparallel, moderately flattened, length 3.0-4.2 mm; colour dark brown, elytra dark brownish to brownish yellow, except for darker scutellar area and paler legs, basal antennomeres rust-brown (Fig. 35A ); integument moderately glossy, forebody sparsely punctate and pubescent, with pubescence long, punctation fine, microsculpture distinct and consisting of round and slightly convex meshes; head slightly elongate, round, ca. as wide as pronotum, eyes as long as genae in dorsal view, postocular carina strong basally, diffuse apically; antennae slender, at least as long as pronotum and elytra combined, antennomeres 1-3 strongly elongate, 6 and 7 slightly elongate, 8 and 9 slightly elongate or subquadrate, and terminal one as long as two preceding antennomeres combined; pronotum slightly transverse, impressed medially, arcuate laterally and basally, pubescence sparse, hypomeron visible almost for entire length of pronotum; elytra transverse, broader than pronotum; abdomen subparallel. MALE. Tergite VIII slightly transverse, arcuate apically (Fig. 35D ); sternite VIII highly elongate, rounded apically and with wide distance between antecostal suture and base of disc (Fig. 35E ); median lobe of aedeagus with moderate-sized bulbus, tubus short, ventral margin arcuate basally and straight apically, tubus narrowly triangular at apex in lateral view (Fig. 35B ); internal sac sclerites without spike-like projections, complex as illustrated (Fig. 35B ); in dorsal view bulbus roughly oval, tubus short, triangular apically. FEMALE. Tergite VIII transverse and truncate apically (Fig. 35F ); sternite VIII rounded apically, apex slightly produced, distance between antecostal suture and base of disc wide (Fig. 35G ); pygidium as illustrated, with weakly sclerotized central plate, slightly broader than in P. laevicollis (Fig. 35C ); spermatheca not illustrated, minute with short sac-shaped capsule without apical invagination and with short narrow stem.

Distribution.

Origin. Nearctic. Canada: NB, NS, ON, QC.

Bionomics.

This species has been recorded from various wetland and riparian habitats in NB: in moss and leaf litter near brook and in litter, grasses, and moss on hummocks in old-growth eastern white cedar swamps and a wet alder swamp, in moist leaves along vernal pond margins in various mixed forests, and a red oak/red maple forest; also from pitfall traps in regenerating red spruce forests (NB) and from vernal pool litter in ON (summarized by Klimaszewski et al. 2018). Collecting period: IV-V, VIII. Collecting method: sifting leaf litter, grasses, and moss, under bark (probably overwintering).

Comments.

Although they were not re-examined here, the specimens reported by Majka and Klimaszewski (2008) as P. laevicollis , certainly belong to P. pseudolaevicollis. This species is very similar externally and genitally to P. laevicollis occurring in western North America (AK, AB, BC, WA). Previously, it was tentatively identified as P. laevicollis pending additional study (e.g., Klimaszewski et al. 2005; Klimaszewski et al. 2020). The present evidence from DNA barcodes (8.5% divergence between the eastern and western specimens) and morphology of the aedeagus revealed that eastern and western populations represent two distinct, cryptic species. The single barcoded specimen of P. pseudolaevicollis produced a 407 bp sequence and therefore, no BIN has been generated.

Figures

Figure 33. Philhygra laevicollis (Maeklin) A habitus B median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view C median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view D, E female pygidium F male tergite VIII G male sternite VIII H female tergite VIII I female sternite VIII. A, B, E-H after Klimaszewski et al. (2020), used with permission C, D after Klimaszewski and Winchester (2002). Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B-I).

Figure 35. Philhygra pseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov. A habitus B median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view C female pygidium D male tergite VIII E male sternite VIII F female tergite VIII G female sternite VIII. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B-G). Illustrations after Klimaszewski et al. (2018), reproduced with permission.