Atheta (Dimetrota) petitcapensis 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 : 115-116

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (Dimetrota) petitcapensis Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 133-140

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, Westmorland Co., Petit Cap, 46.1879°N, 64.1503°W, 17.VI.2014, M.-A. Giguère & R.P. Webster, coll. // sandy sea beach, under sea wrack and grass debris (LFC). Paratypes: Same data as the holotype (1 ♀, LFC; 3 ♀, RWC); same data except: 19.VI.2012, R.P. Webster & D. Sabine, coll. // sandy barrier sea beach, sifting drift material, mostly dried/decaying sea wrack (1 ♀, LFC; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, RWC)

Etymology.

Named after the village of Petit Cap where the holotype and paratypes were collected.

Description.

Body length 2.7-2.9 mm, [narrow], narrowly elongate, broadest at elytra, dark brown to nearly black, with legs and last article of maxillary palps yellowish brown (Fig. 133); integument moderately glossy with strong meshed microsculpture; forebody with fine and dense punctation and pubescence; head elongate, rounded posterolaterally, with moderately large eyes, each about as long as postocular area; an tennae with articles V–X subquadrate to moderately transverse; pronotum transverse, broadest at middle, arcuate on sides, slightly wider than head and distinctly narrower than elytra, pubescence directed laterad and apicad, forming arcuate lines from midline of disk; elytra transverse, with pubescence directed posterolaterad and forming waves posteriorly; abdomen subparallel. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with bulbus narrowly oval, with apical processes angular, tubus narrowly elongate, triangular in dorsal view (Fig. 134), and slightly produced ventrally at apex, with apical part narrow and triangular in lateral view, venter broadly arcuate (Fig. 135); internal sac with two pairs of strongly sclerotized structures (Figs 134, 135); tergite VIII truncate apically and with two larger lateral teeth and several small ones between (Fig. 136); sternite VIII rounded apically (Fig. 137). Female. Tergite VIII truncate apically (Fig. 138); sternite VIII broadly rounded apically (Fig. 139); spermatheca with capsule small, club shaped, and with narrow and moderately deep apical invagination, stem thin and irregularly twisted posteriorly (Fig. 140).

Distribution.

Known only from NB, Canada.

Natural History. Adults of this species were found under sea wrack and grass debris on a sea beach in the upper intertidal zone.

Comments.

This species is superficially similar externally to species of the genus Psammostiba Yosii and Sawada, but has differently shaped mouth parts and genitalia. We include this species in the subgenus Dimetrota on the basis of body pubescence pattern, forebody punctation, and the type of genitalia.