Medon apicalis (Kraatz, 1857)

Pentinsaari, Mikko, Anderson, Robert, Borowiec, Lech, Bouchard, Patrice, Brunke, Adam, Douglas, Hume, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Hebert, Paul D. N., 2019, DNA barcodes reveal 63 overlooked species of Canadian beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera), ZooKeys 894, pp. 53-150 : 53

Medon apicalis (Kraatz, 1857) Figure 17

Distribution.

Native to the western Palaearctic region, widespread in Europe and also reported from Algeria, Morocco, Turkey, the Canary Islands, and Madeira ( Schülke and Smetana 2015). Adventive in the Nearctic region (Ontario, Canada).

Canadian records.

Ontario: Guelph, 30-Jun-2018 (1 ex, CBG).

Diagnostic information.

Body length: 3.8-4.6 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 17A . Male sternite VII as in Fig. 17C . Aedeagus as in Fig. 17B .

Bionomic notes.

This species has been collected in a variety of habitats in Europe, but the breeding habitat requirements are unknown ( Assing 2006). Most specimens have been collected in flight (car nets, flight interception traps) ( Assing 2006). Specimens have also been collected from stream edges, haystacks, woodland and at light ( Assing 2006). This species is less likely to occur in the nests of small mammals than other species of the genus ( Assing 2006). The Canadian specimen was collected at a UV light in a mixed forest.

Comments.

A single female voucher from Canada was available for study and, while males would normally be necessary to confirm a positive identification in Medon , its barcode sequence is identical to German and Austrian specimens of M. apicalis . All similar, widespread Palaearctic species that could be confused with M. apicalis ( M. ripicola (Kraatz, 1854), M. brunneus (Erichson, 1839), M. fusculus (Mannerheim, 1830)) are represented in BOLD and form distinct BIN clusters. The female voucher was also morphologically compared to representatives of all widespread western Palaearctic Medon species and was consistent with the variability of body proportions, punctation and color of M. apicalis . Four species known from the southwestern Palaearctic are closely related to M. apicalis and cannot be reliably distinguished by external characters: M. perniger Coiffait, 1978 (Italy and extreme southern parts of France and Switzerland); M. maronitus (Saulcy, 1864) (Greece to Turkmenistan); M. sericellus Fairmaire, 1860 (North Africa) and M. beydaghensis Fagel, 1969 (Turkey) ( Assing 2004, 2006). None of these species are currently represented on BOLD. Although one or more of these species might share a BIN with M. apicalis , the Ontario specimen has an identical DNA barcode haplotype to specimens from Germany and Austria where M. apicalis is the only known representative of this species group. As the Nearctic fauna of Medon is unrevised, comparisons with North American species are not yet possible. Recognizing this species in the Nearctic region requires dissected males or DNA barcoding.

Figures

Figures 17 - 19. 17 Medon apicalis (Kraatz) 17 A habitus 17 B aedeagus, ventral and lateral view, V. Assing 17 C male sternite VII, V. Assing 18 Medon ripicola (Kraatz) 18 A habitus 18 B aedeagus, ventral and lateral view, V. Assing 18 C male sternite VII, V. Assing 19 Pseudomedon obscurellus (Erichson) 19 A habitus 19 B aedeagus, lateral view, V. Assing 19 C male sternite VIII, V. Assing. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (17 A; 18 A; 19 A), 0.2 mm (17 B, C; 18 B, C; 19 B, C).