Quedius (Raphirus) spencei Jacobs & Bergeron

Jacobs, Jenna M. & Bergeron, J. A. Colin, 2017, Addition of a new Quedius Steph. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) species to the biodiversity of Albertan mixedwood forest, Canada, ZooKeys 668, pp. 61-68 : 62-63

Quedius (Raphirus) spencei Jacobs & Bergeron sp. n. Figs 1, 2A

Description.

Habitus as in Fig. 1. Piceous to piceous black, elytra and abdominal tergites of some specimens brownish. Palpi, antennae and legs piceous to brownish with tibia distinctly darker than rest of leg. Head, pronotum and elytra with bronze luster. Head rounded, slightly transverse (1.07-1.09 w:l). Eyes large, considerably longer than the length of the temples in dorsal aspect (0.31-0.32 t:e). Two additional setiferous punctures between anterior frontal punctures, posterior frontal puncture situated somewhat closer to posterior margin of eye than posterior margin of head (similar to Q. rusticus ). Surface of head with very fine and dense microsculpture consisting of transverse lines. Antennae with first 3 segments darker and elongate (longer than wide), third segment slightly shorter than second, segments 4-11 densely pubescent. Segments 4 and 5 are slightly longer than wide, sixth barely longer than wide, and segments 7-10 quadrate to slightly transverse. Pronotum as long as wide (1.00, w:l), broadly arcuate at base and moderately narrowed in front. Chaetotaxy of pronotum similar to other species in the Aenescens group with three punctures in each dorsal row, sublateral rows with last puncture situated distinctly behind level of large lateral puncture; microsculpture similar to head. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra at sides only barely longer than pronotum at midline (1.07-1.10). Punctation and pubescence of elytra fine and moderately dense (as in Q. rusticus ), interspaces smooth without distinct microsculpture. Punctation of abdominal tergites finer than punctuation of elytra and usually a little denser on bases of first three or four visible abdominal tergites. Pubescence brownish with a single large piceous bristle originating from the lateral apex of first four visible abdominal tergites, usually with a second bristle on the second to fourth visible tergites (as in Q. rusticus and Q. simulator ).

Male.

Sixth visible sternite with a moderately shallow, obtuse triangular emargination in the middle of apical margin, with a slightly impressed, smooth, narrow triangular area anteriad of the emargination, less than twice the depth of the emargination. Aedeagus with paramere extended to the tip of narrow, sharp median lobe. Paramere slightly narrowed posteriad of base, expanded to maximum width one-third from apex, at which point margins obtusely angle toward narrowed apex (Fig. 2A; pm, a, b). Paramere with several short and two long apical bristles, with two additional long bristles on lateral margins near apex. Sensory peg setae on dorsal surface of paramere arranged in a single row on lateral margins, terminated distinctly anteriad of apex, with one to three additional peg setae on each side of apex (Fig. 2A; b, sp).

Length: 5.6-5.8mm.

Type material.

Type material is deposited in the Strickland Entomological Museum at the University of Alberta (UASM) and at the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes in Ottawa (CNC). See supplementary table for more information on each specimen.

Holotype (♂) // CAN:AB: EMEND, 56°46'13"N; 118°22'28"W, Coll: C. Bergeron 2003 // HOLOTYPE, Quedius spencei Jacobs & Bergeron, // CB1802 // UASM# 212610. The holotype is pointed with genitalia stored in plastic vial. The right foreleg is missing tibia and tarsus and the right hind leg is missing the three last tarsal segments. Left maxillary palp is broken.

Paratypes: 7 ♂♂, same labels as holotype but CB0954 // UASM# 212609; CB1555 // UASM# 212608; CB1555 // UASM# 212606; CB0956 // UASM# 212607; CB0955 // UASM# 212611; CB2034 // CNC# 615416; CB2036 // CNC# 615417; and 3 ♂♂ CAN:AB: Slave Lake, 55°17'52"N; 115°05'29"W, Coll. T.Cobb 2003 // PARATYPE, Quedius spencei , Jacobs & Bergeron // tpc02841 // CNC# 615418; tpc02320 // CNC# 615419; tpc3220 // CNC# 615420.

Type locality.

EMEND research site, 35 km east of Dixonville, Alberta, Canada

Geographical distribution.

Known specimens were collected from central Alberta, Slave Lake (N55°17.86', W115°05.49') and north-western Alberta, near Dixonville (N56°46,22', W118°22.47'). Probably more widely distributed.

Collection notes.

The specimens from Dixonville were collected in pitfall traps operating from the second week of May until the last week of June 2003 in old-growth spruce-fir forest. The Slave Lake specimens were collected from a flight intercept trap in May 2003 in a former conifer forest two years following harvesting; regenerating with aspen trees. Quedius spencei seems to live in conifer forest.

Comparison and diagnostic features.

Quedius spencei is similar in general habitus to Quedius rusticus Smetana, but shares characteristics of the male genitalia with Quedius simulator Smetana: shape of the apex of the median lobe acute (Fig. 2A, c), and paramere of the male genitalia does not exceed the apex of the median lobe. However, Q. spencei differs from Q. simulator in other characters of the aedeagus: paramere (Fig. 2A; pm, a, b) with margins of apical half obtusely angulate, reaching maximum width one-third from apex; base of paramere deeply emarginate (Fig. 2A, b); and sensory peg setae (Fig. 2A, b, sp) on each lateral margin in a single row. Additionally, similar to Q. rusticus this species is lighter in coloration than Q. simulator , with elytra usually brownish, and apical margins of tergites and apex of abdomen paler. Also, similar to Q. rusticus , the posterior frontal puncture of head is removed from the hind margin of eyes.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an eponym, a singular Latin noun, genitive case, based on the surname of our mentor and friend, John R. Spence, who has dedicated his career to the study of arthropod biodiversity, particularly ecological and taxonomic aspects of gerrid bugs and carabid beetles, and to community aspect of forest invertebrates. He has mentored many students, putting emphasis on species level identifications, and has greatly influenced the field of entomology in Canada.

Key to selected species of Quedius (modified from Smetana 1971a)