Oligota polyporicola Klimaszewski & Webster

Webster, Reginald P., Klimaszewski, Jan, Bourdon, Caroline, Sweeney, Jon D., Hughes, Cory C. & Labrecque, Myriam, 2016, Further contributions to the Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) fauna of New Brunswick and Canada including descriptions of 27 new species, ZooKeys 573, pp. 85-216 : 165-167

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Oligota polyporicola Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 387-393

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, Sunbury Co., Acadia Research Forest, 45.9799°N, 66.3394°W, 18.VI.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Road 7 control, mature red spruce and red maple forest, fleshy polypore fungi on stump (LFC). Paratypes: Canada, New Brunswick, Carleton Co., Wakefield, Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve, 46.1907°N, 67.6740°W, 15.VI.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // Hardwood forest, on fleshy polypore (bracket) fungi on dead standing beech (1 ♂, AFC; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, LFC; 1 sex undetermined, RWC); Jackson Falls, "Bell Forest Nature Preserve", 46.2199°N, 67.7231°W, 7.VI.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Rich Appalachian hardwood forest, in polypore fungi on large fallen basswood (1 ♂, 2 ♀, RWC); same data but 9.X.2006 // Hardwood forest, on fleshy polypore fungi on dead standing beech (1 ♂, CNC; 1 ♀, LFC). Sunbury Co., Acadia Research Forest, 45.9799°N, 66.3394°W, 18.VI.2007, R.P. Webster, coll. // Road 7 control, mature red spruce and red maple forest, fleshy polypore fungi on stump (3 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 sex undetermined, RWC). York Co., New Maryland, Charters Settlement, 45.8286°N, 66.7365°W, 22.VI.2008, R.P. Webster, coll. // Mixed forest, in polypore fungus on Populus log (1 ♂, RWC).

Etymology.

Named after polypore mushrooms where the holotype and many of the paratypes were found.

Description.

Body length 1.4-1.5 mm, short, compact, broadly oval, piceous brown to black, with legs, antennae, maxillary palps, and tip of abdomen reddish brown (Fig. 387); forebody moderately and abdomen strongly glossy; integument with microsculpture mesh-like on head and pronotum, coarse, scale-like on elytra and less so on abdomen; pubescence sparse and long; head transverse with large protruding eyes, pubescence directed anteriad; antennae with four apical articles broad and forming loose club, articles VI–VII moderately transverse; pronotum strongly transverse, lateral margins strongly converging apically, pubescence directed posteriad on midline of disk and obliquely laterad elsewhere; elytra broad, arcuate laterally with pubescence directed obliquely laterad; abdomen tapering apicad. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with tubus long, arcuate apically, apex thin and produced ventrally in lateral view, bulbus moderately long with large carina apicalis (Fig. 388); internal sac structures as illustrated (Fig. 388); tergite VIII truncate apically (Fig. 389); sternite VIII broadly arcuate apically (Fig. 390). Female. Tergite VIII with apical margin very broadly obtusely angulate (Fig. 391); sternite VIII rounded apically (Fig. 392); spermatheca with capsule elongate-oval in apical half, angularly bent at middle (Fig. 393).

Natural history.

This species was found in hardwood forests, a mixed forest, and a mature red spruce and red maple forest. Adults were found in polypore fungi on dead standing American beeches, a large fallen basswood, a Populus log, and on a stump. Specimens occurred within the tubes of the polypore fungi. Adults were collected during June and October.

Distribution.

Known only from NB, Canada.

Comments.

We have checked the world literature on the genus and compared all available genital illustrations and found none matching our species, which led to the conclusion that it was undescribed ( Williams 1970a, 1970b, 1972, 1973a, 1973b, 1975, 1976, 1979, Frank 1972, Lohse 1974, Frank et al. 1992, Assing 1995, 2003). In addition, we consulted J.H. Frank, who studied American and Caribbean types and species of Oligota , and he confirmed that our species was not among the species he studied.