Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica Bernhauer, 1907

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, Revision of some types of North American aleocharines (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), with synonymic notes, Zootaxa 353 (1), pp. 1-134 : 78-81

Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica Bernhauer, 1907

( Figs. 107–115 )

Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica Bernhauer, 1907: 388 .

Atheta pennsylvanica: Blatchley, 1910: 355 (as valid species).

Atheta (Hilara) fontis Casey, 1911a: 122 .

Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica: Fenyes, 1920: 187 (as valid species).

Atheta (Microdota) fontis: Fenyes, 1920: 187 (as synonym of At. pennsylvanica ).

Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 634 (as valid species).

Atheta (Microdota) fontis: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 634 (as synonym of At. pennsylvanica ).

Atheta (Microdota) pennsylvanica: Moore & Legner, 1975: 369 (as valid species).

Atheta (Microdota) fontis: Moore & Legner, 1975: 361 (as valid species).

Microdota pennsylvanica: Seevers, 1978: 265 (as valid species).

Microdota fontis: Seevers, 1978: 264 (as valid species).

Type material. Lectotype of Atheta pennsylvanica (here designated): ♂, “Marion, Mass.[achusetts] Bowditch.”, “ pennsylvanica Brh. Cotypus ” (yellow label), “Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection” ( FMNH). Paralectotypes: ♂, “Penn.[sylvania]”, “July [18]96”, “red circle”, “ flaveola Melsh. Fenyes det. Bernhauer ”, “ pennsylvanica Brh. Typus. Fenyes.” (yellow label), “Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection ” ( FMNH) ; ♀, “Penn.[sylvania]”, “July [18]96”, “white circle”, “ pennsylvanica Brh. Cotypus ” (yellow label), “Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection ” ( FMNH) .

Holotype of Atheta fontis : ♀, “Buena Vista Spg. [Springs] Franklin Co. Pa. [Pennsylvania]”, “ fontis Csy. ”, “TYPE USNM 39357” (red label), “CASEY bequest 1925” ( NMNH).

Additional material. UNITED STATES: Minnesota: Lake Co.: ♀, 22 km NE Two Harbors, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Hwy. 61, 47º10.99’N 91º24.52’W, 70 m, 10.vii.1999 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU) ; New York: Orange Co.: ♂, ♀♀, 8 km S New Windsor, Black Rock Forest , 23–25.v.1998 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU) ; Pennsylvania: Clinton Co.: 12 specimens, 26 km SEE Lock Haven, 41º03.23’N 77º09.65’W, 350’, 5.iv.1999 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU); Vermont: Windsor Co.: 23 specimens, 8 km SEE Springfield, Hwy. I­91, 43º14.00’N 72º26.81’W, 250’, 21.ix.1998 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU); CANADA: Ontario: ♀, 74 km NWW Sault Ste. Marie, Hwy. 17, slope facing Lake Superior, 47º09.61’N 84º41.90’W, 80’, in forest litter, Betula , Picea , Populus , Acer , Pinus , 11.vii.1999 (V.I.Gusarov); 2♀♀, 24 km SWW Wawa, Hwy. 17, Dead Woman Bay, 47º47.51’N 84º53.77’W, 60’, in forest litter, Picea , Betula , 11.vii.1999 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU); Québec: ♀, Anti­Costi, 16.vi.1993 ( LFC); ♀, La Tuque, 13.vi.1994 ( LFC); ♀, Armagh, 46º44’N 70º35’W, 11.viii.1994 ( LFC); ♀, ditto but 7.vi.1994 ( LFC); ♂, ditto but 16.viii.1994 ( SPSU); ♀, Lac Princeton, 18.vii.1994 ( LFC); ♀, Lac Mitis, 20.vi.1994 ( LFC); ♀, Pohénégamook, 47º28’N 69º14’W, 19.vii.1994 ( SPSU); ♂, Pelegrin, 5.vii.1994 ( SPSU).

Diagnosis. Atheta pennsylvanica belongs to a group of distinctly colored species within Microdota with dark brown head and abdominal terga 5–8, light brown elytra, and reddish yellow pronotum and abdominal terga 3–4. Atheta pennsylvanica can be distinguished from other species of this group by having a larger body size and the distinct shape of the aedeagus ( Figs. 114–115 ) and spermatheca ( Figs. 112–113 ).

Discussion. The types of At. fontis are similar to the types of At. pennsylvanica in the body size, in external characters and in the shape of the spermatheca. Therefore, the synonymy of the two species established by Fenyes (1920) and Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz (1926) is confirmed. I agree with Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz (1926) that of all species of Microdota described by Casey (1910a, 1911a) only At. fontis is synonymous with At. pennsylvanica .

Distribution. Atheta pennsylvanica is widespread in the eastern United States (Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Minnesota) and is also known from eastern Canada (Ontario, Québec).

Figures

FIGURES 107–111. Abdominal segment 8 of Atheta pennsylvanica Bernhauer (male, 8 km S New Windsor, New York (107–109); and female, 8 km SEE Springfield, Vermont (110–111)). 107 — male tergum 8; 108 — male sternum 8; 109 — apex of male tergum 8; 110 — female tergum 8; 111 — female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.1 mm (109), 0.2 mm (107–108, 110–111).

FIGURES 112–115. Genitalia of Atheta pennsylvanica Bernhauer (male, 8 km S New Windsor, New York (114–115); female, holotype of At. fontis Casey (112); and female, 8 km SEE Springfield, Vermont (113)). 112–113 — spermatheca; 114 — median lobe, parameral view; 115 — median lobe, lateral view. Scale bar 0.1 mm.