Gyrophaena Mannerheim, 1830

Klimaszewski, Jan, Webster, Reginald & Savard, Karine, 2009, Review of the rove beetle species of the subtribe Gyrophaenina Kraatz (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from New Brunswick, Canada: new species, provincial records and bionomic information, ZooKeys 22 (22), pp. 81-170 : 83-86

Genus Gyrophaena Mannerheim, 1830

Figs 1–205

Gyrophaena Mannerheim, 1830 ; Casey 1906; Fenyes 1918; Seevers 1951, 1978; Moore and Legner 1975, Ashe 1984, 2001. Type species: Staphylinus nanus Paykull (= G. nana ).

Description. Body small, length 1.2–3.5 mm, broadly oval and dorso-ventrally flattened (Figs 1–30); coloration flavate, brown, piceous, or black, usually bicoloured but sometimes uniformly coloured; integument of forebody with approximately uniformly distributed microsetae and enlarged macrosetae in large insertion pores, often elevated (asperities), forming distinct patterns on pronotum and head; isodiametric meshed microsculpture usually present; head with well-developed temporal region; infraorbital carinae present; eyes large and often prominent, finely faceted and broadly separated; labrum broadly oval or trapezoidal with sensory setae forming patterns ( Ashe 1984); mandibles robust, the right mandible bearing one, usually well-developed internal tooth, and a well-developed internal membranous lobe (the prostheca), which bears rows of small dents or teeth ( Ashe 1984); maxilla: lacinia obliquely truncate and with numerous closely spaced teeth (spore brush), and rows of setae on the outer lobe, galea provide a cup-like cap over the apex of the lacinial comb, which probably helps retain food scraps from mushrooms ( Ashe 1984); ligula short, entire, produced and broadly rounded at apex; antennae with 4 th article small, 5 th slightly broader than 6 th, 4–10 usually incrassate (Figs 1–30); pronotum usually transverse with hypomera visible from the side; mesocoxae broadly separated (Fig. 2); elytra usually broad-shouldered (Figs 1–30); abdomen tapering apically; mesosternal process truncate apically and at least as long as metasternal one; spermatheca sclerotized, with a lateral plate-like flange on the short stem, capsule spherical (Figs 36, 43, 50, 61, 68, 75, 82, 93, 104, 115, 122, 129, 136, 149, 156, 163, 170, 177, 189, 196, 203); median lobe of aedeagus variably shaped, often tubular or trough-shaped and with either ventral projections of various shapes and sizes forming a complex structure (Figs 89, 96, 100, 107, 111, 118, 125, 132, 139), or without the aforementioned (Figs 32, 39, 46, 53, 57, 64, 71, 78, 85, 139, 145, 152, 159, 166, 173, 180, 184, 192, 199); apical portion of internal sac rigid and forming elongate projection from where flagellum is normally exerted, the internal sac unlike most other aleocharine genera, lacks internal and external spines and sclerites; paramere with broad apical lobe bearing four setae, usually two longer and two shorter ones (Figs 33, 40, 47, 54, 58, 65, 79, 86, 90, 97, 101, 108, 112, 119, 126, 133, 140, 146, 153, 160, 167, 174, 181, 186, 193, 200); male tergite 8 usually with two relatively large lateral teeth and smaller apical teeth in median part of apical margin (Figs 34, 41, 48, 55, 59, 66, 80, 87, 102, 109, 113, 120, 127, 134, 141, 147, 154, 161, 168, 175, 182, 187), rarely larger lateral teeth are reduced and smaller median teeth are lacking (Figs 73, 194), or lateral teeth are transformed into large lateral lobes (Figs 91, 98, 102, 109, 120, 127); species strictly associated with mushrooms. The species groups in Gyrophaena are mainly defined based on similarities of the median lobe of the aedeagus.

Bionomics. Adults of Gyrophaena are obligatory inhabitants of fresh mushrooms where they feed, mate, and lay eggs on fruiting bodies, and their larvae must mature before the fruiting body decays ( Ashe 1984). Gyrophaena species occur on fleshy and woody polypores, boletes, and fleshy gilled mushrooms, and are very abundant on the latter ( Ashe 1984, 2001). We have observed adult Gyrophaena in rotting (early stages of decay) and dried mushrooms but in much smaller numbers than in fresh mushrooms. Mushroom habitats have several unique attributes: they are ephemeral, unpredictable

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Figures Ι–3. Gyrophaena (Phaenogyra) gracilis Seevers : Ι dorsal view 2 ventral view and 3 lateral view.

in time and space, and extremely heterogeneous in physical and chemical characteristics ( Ashe 1984). Adults of gyrophaenes have developed adaptations to find and live on desirable mushrooms. The principal structural adaptations of the adults are modi- fications of their mouthparts. The beetles feed by “grazing” maturing spores, basidia, cystidea, and hyphae from the hymenium layer of fresh mushrooms and their maxillae are highly modified for this purpose ( Ashe 1984). The galeal setae form a cap over the apex of the lacinial spore brush for efficient collecting of material removed from the hymenium. Other adaptations of the gyrophaenes to their ephemeral and unpredictable habitat and food source are a short life cycle and efficiency in locating and colonizing their mushroom hosts (for details, see Ashe 1984). Adults may also be found in moist forest litter and under logs, which may be an adaptation for survival when few suitable mushroom habitats are available ( Ashe 1984). Some adults were collected by one of us (RPW) quite early in the season, which would suggest that some species probably overwinter in litter as adults.

Geographic distribution. Sixty-two valid species of Gyrophaena and seven species of Eumicrota are known from America north of Mexico ( Ashe 2001); 31 species, including present records, are known to occur in Canada.

Phylogenetic affiliation. Gyrophaena and allied genera are considered to comprise a subtribe of Gyrophaenina , which is a sister taxon of subtribe Bolitocharina ( Ashe 1984) . Ashe (1984) recognized three major evolutionary lineages of Gyrophaenina : the “ Brachida ” lineage, the “ Sternotropa ” lineage, and the “ Gyrophaena ” lineage. The “ Gyrophaena ” lineage includes Gyrophaena , Phanerota and Eumicrota . The “ Sternotropa ” lineage includes Agaricochara , Brachychara , Agaricomorpha , Adelarthra , Pseudoligota and Sternotropa . The “ Brachida ” lineage includes Brachida and Probrachida . The “ Gyrophaena ” lineage is considered to be a sister group of the “ Sternotropa ” lineage. For details, see Ashe (1984).

Checklist of Gyrophaena Mannerheim species occurring in Canada with the United States records

Conventions. Junior synonyms are indented. The United States records, particularly from the states bordering Canada, are also included. Countries and provinces in bold font represent new records. Species follow the taxonomic order established by Seevers (1951). * Holarctic species; † adventive species introduced into North America.

Checklist of Gyrophaenina Kraatz occurring in Canada