Platydema americanum Laporte and Brulle , 1831

Webster, Reginald P., Sweeney, Jon D., DeMerchant, Ian, Bouchard, Patrice & Bousquet, Yves, 2012, New Coleoptera records from New Brunswick, Canada: Tenebrionidae and Zopheridae, ZooKeys 179, pp. 257-277 : 263

Platydema americanum Laporte and Brulle, 1831 Fig. 5Map 12

Material examined.

Additional New Brunswick records, Carleton Co., Hartland, Becaguimec Island, 46.3106°N, 67.5393°W, 13.IX.2006, R. P. Webster, mature mixed forest, in large dried polypore fungi (1, RWC); Two Mile Brook Fen, 46.3702°N, 67.6772°W, 4.VIII.2006, R. P. Webster, mixed forest, in gilled mushroom (1, NBM). Restigouche Co., Jacquet River Gorge P.N.A., 47.8160°N, 66.0083°W, 14.VIII.2010, R. P. Webster, old eastern white cedar forest, in polypore fungi on Populus log (3, NBM, RWC). Sunbury Co., 45.9007°N, 66.2423°W. 27.VIII.2006, R. P. Webster, silver maple swamp, among polypore fungi on poplar log (2, RWC). York Co., Charters Settlement, 45.8188°N, 66.7460°W, 28.XI.2004, R. P. Webster, clear-cut, under bark of conifer stump (1, RWC); same locality and collector but 45.8340°N, 66.7450°W, 11.VII.2006, 20.V.2007, mixed forest, on partially dried Pleurotus sp. on dead standing trembling aspen (2, RWC); Canterbury, near Browns Mountain Fen, 45.8876°N, 67.6560°W, 3.VIII.2006, R. P. Webster, hardwood forest, in slightly dried Pleurotus sp. on sugar maple (1, NBM); NW of Hwy 2 exit 271, 45.8776°N, 66.8254°W, 8.VI.2008, S. Clayden, mixed forest, in ( Pleurotus ) mushrooms on log (1, RWC).

Collection and habitat data.

Most adults from New Brunswick were collected from dried polypore fungi, partially dried Pleurotus sp., or other polypore fungi on logs or standing dead trees in mixed and hardwood (silver maple, sugar maple, and beech) forests. One individual was collected from under bark of a conifer stump in late November. This was probably an overwintering site. Adults were collected during May, June, July, August, September, and November.

Distribution in Canada and Alaska.

BC, AB, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS ( Bousquet and Campbell 1991; Majka et al. 2008). Platydema americanum Laporte and Brullé was reported from New Brunswick in Bousquet and Campbell (1991). However, no voucher specimens could be located to support this record, but Majka et al. (2008) provisionally retained the species on the New Brunswick faunal list. The above records confirm the presence of this species in New Brunswick. This species was reported by Majka et al. (2008) from one locality in Nova Scotia.