Corymbitodes Buysson, 1904

Majka, Christopher G. & Johnson, Paul J., 2008, The Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: faunal composition, new records, and taxonomic changes, Zootaxa 1811, pp. 1-33 : 21-23

Corymbitodes Buysson, 1904

Corymbitodes is a widely recognized genus with species widespread across northern Eurasia, including Japan. A review of the Russian Corymbitodes Buysson by Gurjeva (1989) included the North American C. pygmaeus (Van Dyke) and C. caricinus (Germar) [misspelled by Gurjeva as “ coricinus ”]. Tarnawski (1996) also included C. pygmaeus and gave “ Ludius coracinus Germar ” (1843: 47) as a second species. The latter may be a misspelling as Germar’s Ludius coracinus is a long-standing synonym of Elater abruptus Say. An additional point of confusion is that Corymbites caricinus ( Germar 1843: 63) is a synonym of Elater lobatus Eschscholtz , the latter regarded as a subspecies of C. pygmaea by Tarnawski (1996).

Both Gurjeva and Tarnawski overlooked Ctenicera tarsalis (Melsheimer) , Ctenicera elongaticollis (Hamilton) , Ctenicera moerens (LeConte) , Ctenicera xanthoma (Horn) , and Ctenicera dorothyae Knull , all of which are more closely related to C. pygmaeus and C. caricinus than to any species of Ctenicera . As such, we take this opportunity to transfer these latter five species to Corymbitodes to await generic review: Corymbitodes dorothyae (Knull, 1959) , new combination; Corymbitodes elongaticollis (Hamilton, 1893) , new combination; Corymbitodes moerens (LeConte, 1866) , new combination; Corymbitodes pygmaeus ( Van Dyke, 1932) , new combination; Corymbitodes tarsalis (Melsheimer, 1846) , new combination; and Corymbitodes xanthomus (Horn, 1871) , new combination. These changes are made with the recognition that not all these species may be subsequently regarded as congeneric, but that their retention in Ctenicera is clearly untenable. Further, morphological data across the broad geographic span of both C. tarsalis , C. pygmaeus , and C. dorothyae indicate that the distinctiveness between these species is questionable, and that Van Dyke’s (1932) original observation that C. pygmaeus was only a “depauperized form” of C. tarsalis (as C. lobatus ) could be correct. At this time we do not wish to address the question of relationship of the eastern C. tarsalis and the western C. lobatus as that is a more significant problem best treated in a generic review.

Corymbitodes tarsalis (Melsheimer, 1846)

Athous tarsalis Melsheimer, 1846

Corymbites tarsalis ; Germar, 1843; LeConte, 1853 Ludius lobatus tarsalis ; Van Dyke, 1932 Ctenicera tarsalis ; Dietrich, 1945

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: locality not recorded, 1983, collector not recorded, (3), UPEI; Queens Co.: Aldberry Plains, 17.vi.1971, J. MacLeod, UPEI; Wood Islands, 29.viii.2003, C.G. Majka, seashore, CGMC.

Newly recorded from Prince Edward Island. In Nova Scotia collected on apple ( Pyrus malus ), pear ( Pyrus communis L.), beaked willow ( Salix bebbiana Sarg. ), pussy willow ( Salix discolor Muhl. ), and speckled alder ( Alnus incana (L.) Moench).

Corymbitodes tarsalis is a common spring to early summer species in eastern North America . Larvae are predators, and possibly facultative rhizophages, in moist peaty soils adjacent to wetlands and drainages. Adult males fly readily and are commonly found perched on graminoids and other plants, where they await pheromone scents of the more edaphic females. Mass flights of hundreds of males in a small area seeking a female can be encountered (unpublished data).

Corymbitodes pygmaeus ( Van Dyke, 1932)

Ludius lobatus pygmaeus Van Dyke, 1932

Ctenicera lobatus pygmaeus ; Dietrich, 1945 Ctenicera pygmaea ; Lane, 1952; Brookes, 1960

NEW BRUNSWICK: Twenty specimens were examined from Gloucester, Kent, Northumberland, Saint John, Westmoreland, and York counties. The earliest record is from 1898 ( Saint John Co.: Saint John, 20.vi.1898, W. McIntosh, NBM). NOVA SCOTIA: Twenty-seven specimens examined from Cape Breton, Inverness, Queens, Richmond, and Victoria counties. The earliest record is from 1968 (Queens County: Lake Kejimkujik, Kejimkujik National Park, 11.vi.1968, D.C. Ferguson, (2), NSMC).

This species was reported from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by ( Bousquet 1991). Except for the two specimens collected at Lake Kejimkujik (noted above) on the Nova Scotia mainland, all the other records of this species are from Cape Breton Island. Very abundant in long grass in low, moist places around poplar-willow groves and nearly dry ponds ( Brooks 1960). In Nova Scotia found in flood plains, along lakes, and associated with vegetation in low, moist areas (unpublished data).

Eanus maculipennis LeConte, 1866

NOVA SCOTIA: Guysborough Co.: Borneo, 1995, C. Corkum, young deciduous forest, flight-intercept trap, NSMC; Malay Lake, 15–30.vi.1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce forest, flight-intercept trap, (2), NSMC; Halifax Co.: Pockwock Lake, 15–30.vi.1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce forest, flight-intercept trap, NSMC; Pockwock Lake, 1–15.vii.1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce forest, flight-intercept trap, NSMC; Prospect, 11.vi.1979, B. Wright and D. LeBarr, NSMC; Victoria Co.: Sunday Lake, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, 14.vi.1996, R.F. Lauff, regenerating coniferous forest, (2), NSMC.

Newly recorded in Nova Scotia. In New Brunswick collected in a mature spruce ( Picea sp.)-balsam fir ( Abies balsamaea ) forest. Adults are often found on the spring growth of conifers and adjacent shrubbery.

Hypoganus sulcicollis (Say, 1834)

NOVA SCOTIA: Halifax Co.: Sandy Lake, 29.vii–13.viii.1997, D.J. Bishop, old-growth red spruce forest, flight-intercept trap; Queens Co.: Tobeatic Lake, 15.v.2003, P. Dollin, on red spruce snag in red spruce forest, NSMC.

Newly recorded in Nova Scotia and in the Maritime Provinces as a whole. A subcortical species in deciduous forests where the larvae are predators (unpublished data).

Liotrichus spinosus ( LeConte, 1853)

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Queens Co.: North Rustico, 26.vi.2003, seashore, C.G. Majka, CGMC.

Newly recorded from Prince Edward Island. In Nova Scotia collected from a wide variety of deciduous and coniferous forest stands of various ages including in red ( Picea rubens ) and black spruce ( Picea mariana ), white pine ( Pinus strobus ), hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), and balsam fir ( Abies balsamaea ).

Liotrichus vulneratus ( LeConte, 1853)

NEW BRUNSWICK: Gloucester Co.: Bathurst, 15.vii.1998, Daley, McLean, Devereaux, and Comeau, NBM; Bathurst, 10-27.vi.1994, R.P. Webster, NBM; Kings Co.: Grand Bay, 19.vi.1989, 6.x.1992, and 13.vi.2001, D.F. McAlpine, NBM; Madawaska Co.: Saint Leonard, 28.vi.2003, A.-S. Bertrand, old-growth spruce-fir forest, RWC; Queens Co.: 3.5 km SW of Scotchtown, 8.iii.1997, R.P. Webster, NBM; Saint John Co.: Saint John, 19.v. 190?, 7.vi.1902, W. McIntosh, (2), NBM; Yo r k C o.: Charters Settlement, 45.84ºN, 66.72ºW, 2.v.2000, R.P. Webster, bare soil in garden, RWC.

Newly recorded from New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia collected from both deciduous and coniferous (red spruce ( Picea rubens ) and hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ) forest stands of various ages.

Metanomus insidiosus ( LeConte, 1853) , new combination

Ludius insidiosus LeConte, 1853

Corymbites lutescens Fall, 1910

Ludius insidiosus var. lutescens , of Van Dyke, 1932 Ctenicera insidiosa ; Dietrich, 1945

Ctenicera lutescens ; Brooks, 1960

Ctenicera insidiosa var. lutescens ; Lane, 1971

Metanomus Buysson, 1887 is a genus with one species, M. infuscatus (Eschscholtz) widespread in the mountains and boreal forests across northern Eurasia. The type species, Corymbites montivagus Rosenhauer , is a synonym of M. infuscatus and the two species are considered congeneric. One of us (Johnson) has compared numerous specimens of Ctenicera insidiosa from locations across North America with specimens of M. infuscatus of European provenance and found them nearly indistinguishable on external anatomy and genital morphology. Further, two species from the mountains of northern California are also regarded as congeneric with M. insidiosa and the opportunity is taken here to formalize their transfer from Ctenicera : Metanomus blaisdelli ( Van Dyke, 1932) , new combination; and Metanomus shastensis ( Van Dyke, 1932) , new combination.