Boreophilia nearctica Lohse, 1990

Klimaszewski, Jan, Sikes, Derek S., Brunke, Adam & Bourdon, Caroline, 2019, Species review of the genus Boreophilia Benick from North America (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Athetini): Systematics, habitat, and distribution, ZooKeys 848, pp. 57-102 : 57

5. Boreophilia nearctica Lohse, 1990 Figs 43-52

Boreophilia nearctica Lohse, in Lohse et al. 1990: 153. Klimaszewski et al. 2011: 185, 2018: 567. Paratype. AK, mi 1252 Alaska Hwy., 7.VII.1968, nearctica nov. sp. Lohse, Paratype, Campbell and Smetana (NHNG) 1 male.

Diagnosis.

Body moderately broad, forebody moderately glossy, abdomen slightly more so (Fig. 43); length 3.0-3.5 mm; head, pronotum and abdomen except for its apex dark brown, elytra reddish brown, appendages light brown, or body dark brown to almost black with elytra partially dark reddish brown and tarsi reddish brown; antennomeres VIII-X subquadrate to slightly elongate; pronotum ca. as long as elytra at suture, maximum width of pronotum distinctly less than maximum width of elytra. Male. Tubus of median lobe of aedeagus almost straight ventrally, apex narrow and pointed, slightly produced ventrally in lateral view (Figs 44, 45), bulbus broadly oval in dorsal view and with two elongate sclerites of internal sac (Fig. 46); tergite VIII arcuate apically, slightly pointed medially (Fig. 47); sternite VIII elongate, parabolic apically (Fig. 48). Female. Spermatheca: capsule pitcher-shaped basally with broadly tubular apical projection, moderately long and rounded apically, stem sinuate and without posterior loop (Figs 51, 52); tergite VIII arcuate apically (Fig. 49); sternite VIII truncate apically and slightly emarginate medially, antecostal nearly straight medially and slightly sinuate laterally (Fig. 50).

Distribution.

Nearctic species; recorded from Canada: AB [new record], LB, MB, QC, YT, NF; USA: AK.

Collection data.

Habitat [new data]: black spruce forest; alpine meadow. Collecting methods: hanging Malaise trap, pitfall traps, hand collecting under rocks and litter. Collecting period: July to September.

Additional material examined.

Canada, Alberta, Plateau Mountain, 50.226 -114.555, alpine meadow, under rocks and litter, 5.VII.2002, G Pohl and D Langor, 2 males, 1 female (CCDB-28541-D04, CCDB-28541-D05, CCDB-28541-D06) (NFRC); Newfoundland, Burnt Cape, site 10, 21U 0586332E, 5711616N, 51.54902N, 5.75489W, 24.VII.2003-7.VIII.2003 (LFC) 1 male; Burnt Cape, 55.755W, 51.549W, Coastal meadow, pitfall trap, 10-24.VII.2003, AM Hynes, Site 1-10 (LFC) 1 male; Yukon Territory, North Fork Pass, Ogilvie Mts.,3500', 17.VI.1962, RE Leech, paratype CNC No. 20308 (CNC) 1 male; North Fork Pass, Ogilvie Mts., 4100', 20.VI.1962, PJ Skitsko (CNC) 1 female; Quebec, Bonne Esperance, 14.VII.1929, WJ Brown, nearctica nov. sp. Lohse, Paratype (NHNG) 1 female.

USA, Alaska: Naknek, 58.73973N, 157.0636W, creek side/ocean beach confluence, under boards and drift wood, hand collected, 10.VI.2007, DS Sikes, UAM100012316 (UAM) 1 male; AK, Selawik NWR, 8 m el., 66.56137N, 158.99834W, +/- 304 m, Spirea , dwarf birch, 23-24.VI.2010, DS Sikes, UAM100283949 (UAM) 1 male; AK, Fairbanks, Bonanza Crk., 237 m el., 64.71922N, 148.38416W, +/- 10 m, birch, spruce, hanging Malaise trap, 6-13.V.2016, J Hagelin, UAM100407183 (UAM) 1 male; AK, Kenai Mts., Tern Lake Campground, 700', 18.Vi.1978, Smetana and Becker (NHNG) 1 male.

Comments.

The southernmost record of this species in the Rockies of southern Alberta suggests that B. nearctica probably occurs continuously along the western cordilleras, at successively higher elevation sites with decreasing latitude.

DNA Barcode data.

Our data included five sequences of specimens identified as B. nearctica , two from Alaska and three from Alberta, Canada, which grouped with two sequences identified as Boreophilia sp. into BIN BOLD:ACU9385. Our calculations indicate that the five sequences identified to species have an average distance of 0.14%, a maximum distance of 0.33% and are 6.37% distant from their nearest neighbor.