Quedius labradorensis Smetana, 1965

Hansen, Aslak Kappel, Brunke, Adam, Simonsen, Thomas & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2022, Revision of Quedius sensu stricto (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1), pp. 225-299 : 275-276

Quedius labradorensis Smetana, 1965

( Figs 1 , 4 , 10F , 16A , 17 , 21 )

Quedius labradorensis Smetana, 1965a: 37 [Type locality:Südost-Labrador: Forteau]

Quedius labradorensis insularis Smetana, 1971a: 140 [Type locality: Alaska: Anton Larsen Bay, Kodiak]. Preoccupied by Quedius insularis Bernhauer & Schubert, 1916 ; currently a junior synonym of Philonthus umbratilis ( Gravenhorst, 1802) .

Quedius labradorensis kodiakensis Smetana 1999: 79 (as a replacement name for insularis Smetana ), syn. nov.

References. Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1964): 37, (1965a): 37, (1965b): 12 (distribution; misidentified as Q. lanei according to Sආൾඍൺඇൺ 1971a: 138); (1971a): 138 (characters and distribution); (1973): 1428, (1976a): 172, (1978a): 826, (1981): 640 (distribution); Dඈඐඇංൾ & Aඋඇൾඍඍ (1996): 391 (characters and distribution); PඈHඅ et al. (2007): 299 (biology); Wൾൻඌඍൾඋ et al. (2012): 315 (distribution).

Type material examined. Quedius labradorensis : Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ J (CNC), labelled: “SE Labrador Forteau N:o 285.13-15.VII.51 Lindroth / Holotype Quedius labradorensis m. / 1963 Smetana det. / Quedius labradorensis m. 63 Smetana det. 19 / Holotype CNC No. 9473 Quedius labradorensis Smet. ”.

Quedius labradorensis insularis : Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ J (CNC), labelled: “ Alaska, Anton Larsen Bay, Kodiak, 445, 24.VIII.1958, Lindroth / Holotype Quedius labradorensis insularis Smetana 1968 CNC No. 10866”. Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾ: same collection data as holotype (1 ♀ CNC).

Additional material examined. CANADA: Aඅൻൾඋඍൺ: George Lake, [53.95, -114.1], 10.IX.1966, leg. R. E. Leech (18 CNC); George Lake, [53.95, -114.1], 1.VI.1969, leg. H. Goulet (3 CNC); Wagner Natural Area, Edmonton 6km W, [53.57, -113.82], pan trap, 12-25.VI.1985, leg. Finnamore & Thormin (4 CNC). BඋංඍංඌH Cඈඅඎආൻංൺ: 10 mi E of East Pine, [55.71, -120.97], 16.VI.1958, leg. Lindroth (1 CNC). Mൺඇංඍඈൻൺ: Onah, [49.81, -99.52], 20.VIII.1921, leg. N. Criddle (1 CNC); Riding Mountain National Park, [50.83, -100.20], pan traps, Bison enclosure, 4.VIII.1979, leg. D. B. Lyons (1 CNC); Riding Mountain National Park, Edward Creek at Highway 10, [50.92, -100.05], 17.IX.1979, leg. A. Smetana (1 CNC); Riding Mountain National Park, 1km SE Long Lake, [50.75, -100.32], 16.IX.1979, leg. A. Smetana (1 CNC). NඈඋඍHඐൾඌඍ Tൾඋඋංඍඈඋංൾඌ: Highway 2 mi SE Fort Simpson, [61.82, -121.3], 23.VI-3.VII.1972, leg. A. Smetana (3 CNC). Nඈඏൺ Sർඈඍංൺ: Cape Breton Highland National Park, near Benjies Lake, [46.73, -60.8], 17.VI.1984, leg. A. Smetana (1 CNC); Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Fishing Cove Trail, [46.79, -60.87], 305 m, sifting, moss at seepage, 25.IX.1984, leg. J. M. Campbell & A. Davies (1 CNC); Cape Breton Highlands National Parks, Lone Shieling, [46.81, -60.73], pan trap, forest, 19-24.VII.1983, leg. L. Masner (7 CNC); Cape Breton Highland National Park, MacKenzie Mountain, [46.81, -60.81], pan trap, 2.VIII.1983, leg. D. E. & J. E. Bright (7 CNC); Cape Breton Highland National Park, North Mountain, [46.82, -60.65], fern bog, 11-19. VII.1983, leg. L. Masner (3 CNC); Cape Breton Highland National Park, Paquette Lake, [46.81, -60.44], pan trap, 1.VII.1983, leg. R. Vockeroth (1 CNC); Cape Breton Highlands National Park near Sammy’s Barren, [46.81, -60.72], 440 m, sifting litter, Birch litter, 24.IX.1984, leg. J. M. Campbell & A. Davies (4 CNC); Cape Breton Highland National Park, [46.81, -60.76], 400 m, pan trap, forest, 11-13.VI.1983, leg.Y.Bousquet (1 CNC). Oඇඍൺඋංඈ: Cochrane, [49.14, -81.02], 22.VIII.1918, leg. H. Notman (1 CNC); Moosonee, [51.29, -80.71], 30.VI.1973, leg. J. M. Campbell & R. Parry (1 CNC); 22 mi S Pickle Lake, [51.15, -90.21], 20.VI.1973, leg. J. M. Campbell & R. Parry (1 CNC); 36 mi S Pickle Lane, [50.76, -90.28], 22.VI.1973, leg. J. M. Campbell & R. Parry (2 CNC); Thunder Bay, Mount McKay, [48.34, -89.28], 487 m, 15.VI.1973, leg. J.M. Campbell & R. Parry (3 CNC); Thunder Bay, Powell Lakes, 10km NE Lake Superior, [49.02, -82.98], forest FIT, 31.V.1980, leg. M Kaulbars (1 CNC). Qඎൾൻൾർ: Charlevoix-East, Ste-Mathilde, [47.68, -70.11], 28.VIII.1975, leg. J. F. Landry (2 CNC); Duparquet, [48.47, -79.17], 30.V.1936, leg. G. Stace Smith (2 CNC); Lac Duparquet, [48.49, -79.26], cedar fir forest, 4.-11.VIII.1996, leg. Paquin (5 CNC); Lac Cascapedia, Parc Gaspesie, [48.92, -66.32], 518 m, pan trap, 14.VII.1972, leg. J. M. & B. A. Campbell (1 CNC); Lac Pointe, [46.33, -72.7], 22.IX.1980, leg.C. Chantal (3 CNC); Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, [50.28, -64.19], undergrowth vegetation, 16.VII.2008, leg. LeSage & Lussier (1 J CNC); Montreal, [45.5, -73.62], 9.VI.1908, leg. E. J. Kiteley (2 CNC). Iඅൾ ൽ’ Aඇඍංർඈඌඍං: Pte Sud-Ouest, [49.39, -63.59], 15.VII.1977, leg. J. F. Landry (1 CNC). SൺඌKൺඍർHൾඐൺඇ: Flotten Lake, [54.62, -108.50], 6.-13.VI.1998, leg. T. Cobb (3m SMNH); Lac La Rouge, Stueck Island, [55.19, -105.01], 19.VII.1979, leg. E. J. Kiteley, (1 CNC). USA: AඅൺඌKൺ: Denali State Park, Byers Lake Campground, [62.74, -150.11], 23.VI.1978, leg. Smetana & Becker (2 CNC); Denali NP, Wickersham Dorne, 63.348, -150.97749, 977m, alpine tundra, pitfall traps, 29.VI.2017, leg. A. Haberski et al. (3 UAM); Denali NP, Wickersham Dorne, 63.348, -150.97749, 977m, shrubs, pitfall traps, 23.- 27.VII.2017, leg.A. Haberski et al. (19 UAM); Denali NP, Wickersham Dorne, 63.548, -150.97749, 811m, shrubs, pitfall traps, 3.-19.VII.2018, leg. D. Sikes et al. (4 UAM); Denali NP, Wonder Lake, 63.48822, -150.86237, 645m, spruce, pitfall traps, 7.-21.VI.2018, leg. D. Sikes et al. (1 UAM); Fairbanks Park, 64.7924, -148.1511, 440 m, S-facing hill, forest edge Populus tremuloides , pitfall traps, 17.-14.VII.2007, leg. B. Mortensen (1 UAM). KඈൽංൺK Iඌඅൺඇൽ: 30 mi S Kodiak, [57.54, -153.51], 23.VIII.1958, leg. G.E. Ball (1 CNC). MංർHංGൺඇ: Isle Royale, Daisy Farm, [48.09-88.60], 17.VIII.1965, leg. Bixler (1 J FMNH). Nൾඐ HൺආඉඌHංඋൾ: Carter Notch, [44.26, -71.19], 6.VIII.1908, leg F. Blanchard (1 CNC). Nൾඐ YඈඋK: Indian Falls, Mount Marcy, [44.11, -73.92], 16.VI.1942, leg. H. Dietrich (1 CNC).

Redescription. Measurements JJ (n = 3): HW = 1.76– 1.87 (1.80); HL = 1.49–1.56 (1.52); HL/HW 0.83–0.85 (0.84); PW = 2.20–2.44 (2.28); PL = 2.07–2.29 (2.15); PL/PW 0.94–0.95(0.94); EW = 2.29–2.40 (2.35); EL = 1.93–2.18 (2.07); EL/EW 0.82–0.95 (0.88); EL/PL 0.91– 1.04 (0.96); PW/HW 1.46–1.57 (1.50); forebody length 5.49–5.93 (5.73). ♀♀ (n = 2): HW = 1.89–1.93 (1.91); HL = 1.58–1.62 (1.60); HL/HW 0.84; PW = 2.33–2.38 (2.36); PL = 2.13–2.16 (2.14); PL/PW 0.90–0.92 (0.91); EW = 2.36–2.40 (2.38); EL = 2.09–2.13 (2.11); EL/EW 0.87–0.91 (0.89); EL/PL 0.98–0.99 (0.98); PW/HW 1.47–1.48 (1.47); forebody length 5.84–5.87 (5.86).

Large species; body brown to black ( Fig. 10F ).

Head black, transverse, with eyes medium sized (EyL/ TL = 1.72–1.89 (1.82)), microsculpture of transverse waves, with two interocular punctures between anterior frontal punctures ( Fig. 6G ); antennae and palpi reddish with basal three antennomeres clearly pale, all antennomeres elongate.

Thorax: pronotum brown to black, slightly wider than long, clearly wider than head, with microsculpture of transverse waves, three punctures in dorsal row and one to two in sublateral row with its posteriormost puncture reaching almost to level of second puncture of dorsal row; scutellum sparsely punctured and pubescent; elytra most often pale orange to reddish brown, rarely fully darkened, clearly wider than long, of similar length as pronotum, with rather short uniform pubescence, with punctures clearly separated from each other; legs reddish with inner face of tibia darkened and tarsi paler.

Addomen brown to black, tergites uniformly punctured, without clear iridescence.

Male. Aedeagus ( Figs 16A , 17 ): paramere rather broad, with slight basal attenuation and extending into softly rounded apex, reaching to the apex of median lobe, with small sensory peg setae forming two broad irregular rows near the edge of the of the paramere, except at very apex which is slightly folded; median lobe continuously slimming toward pointed apex, on parameral side with two folded teeth which almost meet to form a cavity with a small slit towards apex; internal sac with elongate and internal sclerites.

Differential diagnosis. Quedius labradorensis can be distinguished from Q. laticollis and Q. molochinus by the presence of two additional setiferous punctures between the anterior frontal punctures. It can be distinguished from other members of the molochinoides -group ( Q. lanei , Q. molochinoides , and Q. horni ) by the larger body size and pale basal three antennomeres.

Synonymic notes. The subspecies Q. l. kodiakensis was described as a form restricted to Kodiak Island, which differs from the nominotypical subspecies by a slightly larger body and more spatulate paramere with larger peg setae (Sආൾඍൺඇൺ 1971a). Generally, species of Quedius s. str. display some variation in body size and shape of the paramere. With more material available, the observed variation between the putative subspecies falls within the variation observed in the widely distributed nominal subspecies. Thus, we consider Quedius l. kodiakensis Smetana, 1999 syn. nov. a junior subjective synonym of Quedius labradorensis Smetana, 1965 .

Bionomics. As a northern species, Q. labradorensis prefers wet boggy habitats with specimens collected in litter and moss of mixed forests, mainly poplar and birch, in Ontario (Sආൾඍൺඇൺ 1971a), in deep moss in Saskatchewan (Sආൾ-ඍൺඇൺ 1990), fern bogs in Nova Scotia, margins of creeks on Kodiak Island (Sආൾඍൺඇൺ 1971a), and shrubby alpine tundra in Alaska. Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1976a) reported this species from moss, mushrooms, and deciduous leaf litter (birch and poplar stands) near streams. In the Alberta foothills forests, Q. labradorensis is considered to be an open-ground specialist after forest logging, which only spread short distances into adjacent pristine forests, with numbers of this species also increased after logging (PඈHඅ et al. 2007). In New Brunswick, most adults have been found from April to May in old-growth eastern white cedar swamps in moss usually near small streams, with the exception of one adult found under a patch of white-tailed deer dung, and one collected at a mercury-vapor light (Wൾൻඌඍൾඋ et. Al 2012). The species is found mainly at higher elevation (750–1500 m) in the southeastern part of its range and at lower elevations up to 800 m in the northern part of its range. Several specimens found in pan traps across Canada indicate that the species may be actively flying or hunting in the vegetation.

Distribution. Quedius labradorensis is a northern species distributed transcontinentally across boreal North America from Labrador and Newfoundland to Alaska where it extends to Kodiak Island (ecoregions 4, 5, and northern part of 6 and 7, Fig. 21 ). To the south it is found in some of the large remaining wetlands, as well as at higher elevation sites, e.g. in Northern Rockies and Cypress Hills in the West, and at Mount Washington and the MacIntyre Range in the East. The northernmost records from Fairbanks Park in Alaska, and Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories suggest that the species extends throughout the boreal ecoregion of the continent.

Figures

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic tree of Quedius s. str. based on preliminary target capture molecular dataset of Bඋඎඇĸൾ et al. (2021) and Hൺඇඌൾඇ et al. (in prep). Species groups shown in color. Q. altanai Hansen & Brunke, sp. nov. of the Q. molochinoides-group was not included in the dataset. Habitus sketch is of Q. fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802). Lettering denotes species distribution within their respective groups.

Fig. 4. Phylogeny of Quedius s. str. species based on Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) COI barcodes (part 2). BI posterior probabilities (PP), ML ultrafast bootstrap support (UFB) and ML SH-aLRT test are shown. Nodes coloured as: green, PP ≥ 0.90, and either UFB ≥ 95 or SH-aLRT ≥ 80; yellow, one of PP ≥ 0.90, UFB ≥ 95 or SH-aLRT ≥ 80; red, PP <0.90, UFB <95 and SH-aLRT <80.

Fig. 10. Habitus of Quedius s. str. A – Q. horni Hatch, 1957; B – Q. lanei Hatch, 1957; C – Q. altanai Hansen & Brunke, sp. nov.; D – Q. molochinoides Smetana, 1965 (red elytra variant); E – Q. molochinoides (black elytra variant); F – Q. labradorensis Smetana, 1965.

Fig. 16. Aedeagus of Quedius s. str. A – Q. labradorensis Smetana, 1965; B – Q. horni Hatch, 1957; C – Q. altanai Hansen & Brunke, sp. nov.; D – Q. lanei Hatch, 1957; E – Q. molochinoides Smetana, 1965. I – parameral view of whole aedeagus, II – apices of paramere in antiparameral view with peg setae, III – lateral view of whole aedeagus, IV – apices of median lobe at an angle between parameral and lateral view.

Fig. 17. Variation in genitalic morphology of species from Quedius molochinoides-group.From left to right for each specimen, first paramere then median lobe (parameral view) and lastly median lobe (lateral view) are given. For each specimen locality is noted underneath.

Fig. 21. Distribution of Quedius unicolor Kiesenwetter, 1847 (top),.Q. labradorensis Smetana, 1965 (middle), Quedius molochinoides-group (bottom). Barcoded specimens are denoted with +.

Fig.6. Head and pronotal chaetotaxy of Quedius s. str.A – general scheme; B – Q. curtipennis Bernhauer, 1908, C – Q. fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802); D – Q. levicollis Brullé, 1832; E – Q. afrofuliginosus Gusarov, 1991; F – Q. molochinus- and Q. laticollis-groups; G – Q. molochinoides-group. Abbreviations as follows: anterior frontal puncture (AFP); basal punctures (BP); interocular punctures (IOP); lateral puncture (LP); lateral row (LR); posterior frontal puncture (PFP); parocular punctures (POP); sublateral row (SLR).