Philhygra laevicollis ( Maeklin , 1852), sensu nov.

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 laevicollis ( Maeklin, 1852), sensu nov. Fig. 33A-I

Material

(DNA-barcoded specimens). Canada. Alberta: Waterton Lakes National Park, Highway 6 pulloff, 49.065, -113.779, 1569 m, intercept trap, montane forest, 21-27.VI.2012, BIOBus 2012 (1, CBG); same data except 06-11.VIII.2012 (1, CBG) . British Columbia: Prince George, Nukko Lake Elementary School , EPQ-CLL-574, 54.083, -122.988, 764 m, 8.V.2015, H. Sapun (1, CBG) . United States. Alaska: Dall Island, 54.998, -133.016, 15.VII.2011, D. S. Sikes (1, UAM); Prince of Wales Island , Luck Point, 55.98, -132.772, clear cut, berlese, 9.VIII.2011, J. Stockbridge and B. Wong (1, UAM) .

Distribution.

Origin. Nearctic. Canada: AB [new record], BC. United States: AK, WA.

Diagnosis.

Philhygra laevicollis can be distinguished from most species of the genus by the general shape of the median lobe in lateral view. It is most similar to P. pseudolaevicollis but has a sinuate ventral face of the median lobe in lateral view and large spines in the internal sac (Fig. 33B ).

Bionomics.

Specimens have been collected from clear cut areas, transitional zone of a coniferous forest, seepages, and river and creek edges, from moss, leaf litter, gravel, dung, carrion and pitfall traps ( Klimaszewski et al. 2020).

Comments.

Philhygra laevicollis is a western Nearctic species that was previously considered to include eastern populations that we here treat as Philhygra pseudolaevicollis sp. nov. that differs in male genitalia but also by the divergent DNA barcode sequence.

Neither this species nor P. laevicollis are known from MB, this error was corrected by Klimaszewski et al. (2020). We have observed some variation in the shape of the sclerotized structure present on the female pygidium between specimens collected in BC, but it is not yet clear whether additional species are overlooked within the present concept of P. laevicollis .

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).