Tachyusa americana Casey, 1906

Pa ṡnik, Grzegorz, 2006, A revision of the World species of the genus Tachyusa Erichson, 1837 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 1146, pp. 1-152 : 134-137

Tachyusa americana Casey, 1906 ( Figs. 138–140)

Tachyusa americana Casey, 1906: 207

Tachyusa meraca Casey, 1911: 174

Tachyusa silvatica Casey, 1911: 173

Tachyusa (s. str.) americana: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 584 (as valid species).

Tachyusa (s. str.) meraca: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 584 (as synonym of T. americana ). Tachyusa (s. str.) silvatica: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 584 (as synonym of T. americana ).

Type material. Tachyusa americana Casey. Lectotype (here designated): ♂: New York, Casey beuesch 1925, type 38944 ( USNM); Paralectotypes: ♂: Iowa, type 38944 ( USNM) ; 2♂♂ and ♀: Pennsylvania, type 38944 ( USNM) .

Tachyusa meraca Casey. Holotype: ♀: Massachusetts, type USNM 38943 ( USNM).

Tachyusa silvatica Casey. Holotype: ♀: New York, type USNM 38947 ( USNM).

Additional material. CANADA. Ontario: Carillon Park , 18.IX.1984, Kiteley, 1 ex ( CNC) ; Carlsbad Springs, Mer Bleue bog, 7–14.VII.1980, A. Davies, 1 ex ( CNC) ; Fort Erie , 19.VII.1977, Kiteley, 1 ex ( CNC) ; Norfolk Co., Port Rowan , 2–6.VI.1975, M. Smith, 1 ex ( ISEA) ; Owen Sound , 1937, M. Cameron, 1937, 4 exx ( BMNH) ; Parry Sound Dist. , 3 mi S Trout Creek, 18.IX.1974, M. Smith, 1 ex ( CNC) . Quebec: Drummond­ville , 18.VII.1977, L. LeSage, 1 ex ( CNC) ; Gatineau Park, Ramsay Lake Area , 17.VI.1971, Campbell, 1 ex ( CNC) ; Montreal , 14.VI.1971, E. J. Kiteley, 1 ex ( CNC) ; J. Ouellet , 1 ex ( MNHN) . UNITED STATES. Colorado: Garland, 1 ex ( MCZ) . Illinois: Algonquin , 1 ex ( CAS) ; PuPage Co.: Palos Park , 15.VII.1945, 1 ex ( FMNH) . Indiana: Allen Co., Fort Wayne, St. Mary's River , 3.VIII.1964, J. & W. Ivie, 1 ex ( AMNH) . Maryland: Baltimore , 12.VI.1909, F. E. Blaisdell, 1 ex ( CAS) . Massachusetts: Barrington , 2.IX.1916, N. S. Easton, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Dorchester , 17.V.1908, Bolster, 1 ex ( MCZ) ; Fall River , N. S. Easton, 1 ex ( MCZ) ; Framingham. , Frost, 2 exx ( AMNH) ; 44 exx ( CAS); 2 exx ( CNC); 5 exx ( DEI); 2 exx ( FMNH); 1 ex ( MCZ); Somerset, N. S. Easton, 5 exx ( CAS) ; 4 exx ( MCZ); “ Massachusetts ” (localities not specified), N. S. Easton, 19 exx ( CAS) . Minnesota: Minneapolis , 23.VI.1972, Kiteley, 1 ex ( ISEA) . New Hampshire: Manchester , 3.VII.1935, J. W. Green, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Philipsburg , 25.VII.1915, J. W. Green, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Phillipsburg , 27.VI.1937, J. W. Green, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Rahway, Siepmann , 2 exx ( AMNH) ; Sussex Co., Strokes State Forest , 18–19.V.1974, L. & N. Herman, 11 exx ( AMNH) ; 1 ex ( ISEA). New Jersey: Avenel , Siepmann, 1 ex ( AMNH) . New York: Arlington , IV.1929, 1 ex ( AMNH) ; Bear Ms. , 11.V.1941, 2 exx ( FMNH) ; Columbia Co., Copake , 25.V.1963, David Miller, 1 ex ( AMNH) ; Hamilton Co., 2 mi N Indian Lake, Cedar River near Rt. 28, 11.VII.1969, L. Herman, 3 exx ( AMNH) ; 1 ex ( ISEA); Lake Wacabue , 19.VII.1910, 1 ex ( AMNH) ; Luetgens , 1 ex ( CAS) ; New York City, Brox Park, W. Beutenmuller, 1 ex ( AMNH) ; Oswegatchie , 1.IV.1933, 1 ex ( AMNH) ; Port Ontario , 19.VII.1936, J. W. Green, 2 exx ( CAS) ; Westchester Co., Croton Point Park, Hudson River , 17.V.1980, L. Herman, 1 ex ( ISEA) . Ohio: Hocking Co., 4 mi W Rockbridge , 8.V.1976, 2 exx ( MCZ) ; Ottawa Co., South Bass Island, Squaw Harbor , Put­in­Bay , 24.VI.1979, 1 ex ( FMNH) . Pennsylvania: Easton , 13.V.1915, J. W. Green, 4 exx ( CAS) ; 10.VI.1915, 2 ex ( CAS) ; 20.VI.1915, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Easton , 15.V.1922, 1 ex ( MCZ) ; 1.VIII.1933, 4 exx ( CAS) ; 21.VII.1934, 5 exx ( CAS) ; Jeannette, H. G. Klages, 3 exx ( CAS) ; 1 ex ( MCZ); Pittsburg, H. G. Klages, 2 exx ( CAS) ; “ Penssylvania ” (localities not specified), 3 exx ( MCZ) . Vermont: Brandon , 28.VII.1936, J. W. Green, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Smugglers , 27.VII.1936, J. W. Green, 1 ex ( CAS) ; Swanton , 28.VI.1971, Kiteley, 1 ex ( CNC) . Washington D.C.: 5 exx ( USNM) . Wisconsin: Waukesha Co., Big Bend, Fox River , 2.IX.1976, 1 ex ( BMNH) ; Waukesha Co., Kettle Moraine State Forest , 0.6 mi N Ottawa, 1.IX.1976, L. Camp, 1 ex ( BMNH) .

Redescription. Body. Length 2.8–3.3 mm; convex, parallel­sided, glossy; body colour pitchy brown to black, elytra brownish red, abdomen black with three basal tergites reddish brown, legs reddish brown, antennae brown with antennomeres 1–3 red.

Head circular in outline, convex; eyes moderately protruding from lateral contours of head, length of each seen from above shorter than postocular region; surface of head without microsculpture; puncturation fine and dense. Antennae long, clearly increasing in width apically, antennomere 3 shorter than 2, antennomeres 4–7 longer than wide, antennomeres 8–10 quadrate, antennomere 11 nearly conical.

Pronotum quadrate; lateral sides strongly narrowed in straight line to obtuse hind angles; before base with small and shallow transverse impression; surface without microsculpture; puncturation fine, dense and asperate; pubescence at midline directed posteriorly.

Elytra subquadrate, at suture slightly shorter than pronotal length at midline; surface lacking microsculpture; puncturation fine, dense and asperate.

Abdomen parallel­sided, bases of tergites 3–5 each with deep transverse impression, impressions with 7–8 longitudinal ridges and with distinct median carina, tergal puncturation fine and moderately dense, punctures moderately small and well visible, surface without microsculpture.

Male. Aedeagus as in Figs. 138–139.

Female. Spermatheca as in Fig. 140.

Taxonomic notes. An examination of the types listed above, particularly the genitalia, revealed that they are all conspecific. Therefore, Tachyusa meraca Casey and Tachyusa silvatica Casey are here synonymised with Tachyusa americana Casey , the oldest name available.

Remarks. Tachyusa americana is similar to T. faceta , from which it can be distinguished by the eyes shorter than temples, the antennomere 3 shorter than 2, the more strongly narrowed pronotum, the more asperate pronotal puncturation and by the shape of the genitalia.

Distribution. Tachyusa americana is widely distributed throughout eastern United

States and Canada.