Aleochara (Xenochara) castaneimarmotae Klimaszewski, Webster and Brunke, 2017

Klimaszewski, Jan, Webster, Reginald P. & Brunke, Adam, 2017, A new cryptic species of Aleochara Gravenhorst associated with Marmota monax (Linnaeus) burrows and caves in North America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (600), pp. 1-11 : 4-5

Aleochara (Xenochara) castaneimarmotae Klimaszewski, Webster and Brunke , new species

( Fig. 1–9 , 10 c)

Holotype: Canada, New Brunswick, Carleton Co., Jackson Falls , 46.2216°N, 67.7231°W, 31.V.2013, R. P. Webster // Meadow /hayfield, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (CNC) 1 male.

Paratypes: Canada, Ontario, Ottawa Reg., Ottawa, Kanata, 27. IV.1975, Marmota burrow, A. Smetana ( CNC) 3 females; Ottawa Reg., Ottawa, Kanata, 1. V.1977, Marmota burrow, A. & Z. Smetana ( CNC) 1 male; same except 19. V.1977, A. Smetana ( CNC) 1 male; same except 25. V.1979, 1 male ( CNC). New Brunswick: Carleton Co., Jackson Falls 46.2216°N, 67.7231°W, 8. V.2013, R.P. Webster // Meadow/ hayfield, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (RWC) 1 male, 2 females; Carleton Co., Jackson Falls, 46.2216°N, 67.7231°W, 25. V.2013, R.P. Webster // rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (RWC) 1 female; Carleton Co., Jackson Falls, 46.2216°N, 67.7231°W, 31. V.2013, R.P. Webster // Meadow/hayfield, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (LFC) , 1 male, 1 female ( NBM), 1 male, 3 females ( RWC) 3 males; Carleton Co., Jackson Falls, 46.2202°N, 67.7235°W, 29. IV.2013, R.P. Webster // Rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (RWC) 1 female; Carleton Co., Jackson Falls, Bell Forest, 46.2202°N, 67.7235°W, 8. V.2013, R.P. Webster // Rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (LFC) 1 male, 1 female, ( RWC) 5 male, 5 females; Kent Co., Kouchibouguac National Park, 46.8279°N, 64.9397°W, 27. V.2015, R.P. Webster // Old field / forest margin, entrance to Marmota monax (Linnaeus) burrow ( NBM) 1 male; York Co., Douglas, Currie Mountain, 45.9832N °, 66.7564°W, 11–24. VI.2013, C. Alderson and V. Webster // old Pinus strobus stand, Lindgren funnel trap 1 m high under P. strobus (RWC) 1 female; York Co., Keswick Ridge, 45.9962°N, 66.8781°W, 27. V.2015, R.P. Webster // Old field/forest margin, entrance to burrow of Marmota monax (NBM) 1 male, 1 female ( RWC) 1 male, 2 females.

United States: Arkansas: Boone Co., W. of Aipena, Thompsons Cave , 24. VI.1964, S. Peck, ( CNC) 1 female . Illinois: Monroe Co., Mammoth Cave , 1000′ from entrance, fungus bait, 25. VI.1965, S. Peck ( CNC) 1 male . Kentucky: Barren Co., SE of Cave City, Hansons Cave , 15. VII.1973, S. Peck ( CNC) 1 female . Missouri: McDonald Co., 2.5 mi ENE Pineville, Long Cave , 7. V.1979, J.E. Gardner ( CNC) 1 female . Tennessee: Anderson Co., 5 mi S Oak Ridge, Melton Hill Cave #1, 19. V.1965, J. A. Payne, 2 males, 1 female ( CNC) ; Bradley Co., Quarry Cave , 8. IV.1967, S. Peck ( CNC) 1 female ; Cannon Co., Tenpenney Cave , 1–15. VII.1973, S. Peck ( CNC) 1 female .

Diagnosis. This species may be distinguished by the following combination of characters: body subparallel, length 2.8–7.0 mm; brown to dark brown, with elytra, tarsi and palpi rusty-brown; meshed microsculpture of forebody strong, sculpticells flat ( Fig. 1, 2 ); punctation on pronotum strong and coarse, antennomers V–X strongly transverse ( Fig. 1 ). Male: tergite VIII truncate and slightly emarginate apically ( Fig. 5 ); sternite VIII triangularly produced apically ( Fig. 6 ); median lobe of aedeagus with tubus arcuate and sinuate in apical half in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ), apex of tubus bent ventrad, subapical sclerites of internal sac in lateral view with sinuate or hooked apex that is upturned ( Fig. 10c); median lobe in dorsal view as illustrated ( Fig. 4 ). Female: tergite VIII truncate apically and shallowly emarginate medially ( Fig. 7 ); sternite VIII rounded apically with short apical pubescence ( Fig. 8 ); spermatheca L-shaped, capsule spherical ( Fig. 9 ).

This species can be misidentified as the externally similar sibling species A. castaneipennis , from which it may be distinguished by the on average more parallel-sided body, stronger and coarser punctation on pronotum, the sinuate apical half of tubus of median lobe in lateral view, the apically hooked or sinuate subapical sclerite of the internal sac, and the shorter and more spherical capsule of the spermatheca. It can also be confused with A. fumata from which it differs by having coarser pronotal punctation, strong microsculpture, a less glossy pronotum, often larger body and different genital features.

Distribution. Origin: Nearctic. Canada: NB, ON. USA: AR, IL, KY, MO, TN.

This species also very likely occurs in Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and additional localities in Missouri based on the specimens of ‘ A. castaneipennis ’ from caves reported by Klimaszewski (1984) and Klimaszewski and Peck (1986) that were not re-examined by us.

Collection and habitat data. Habitat: adults found in soil and litter in and near entrances to burrows of Marmota monax (Linnaeus) in meadows, hayfields, forest margins, and in a rich Appalachian hardwood forest with some conifers near a meadow. Specimens in the southern portions of its distribution were found in caves; one of these specimens was collected using a fungus bait. In NB, this species was often associated with Aleochara rubripes (Blatchley) (often the most common species of Aleochara ), A. sculptiventris (Casey) , Atheta campbelli (Lohse) , Anotylus tetracarinatus (Block) , and the histerid Margarinotus egregius (Casey) . Collecting period: IV, V, VI, VIII. Collecting method: sifting soil and litter in and near entrances to Marmota monax burrows, Lindgren funnel trap 1 m high under P. strobus , fungus bait in cave.

Etymology. The name of this species is derived from the combination of the stem castanei (brown) and marmotae in reference to the preferred habitat of this species.

Figures

Figures 1–9. Aleochara castaneimarmotaeKlimaszewski, Webster, and Brunke, sp. nov. 1) Habitus in dorsal view. 2) Enlarged fragment of pronotum showing pubescence and microsculpture. 3) Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view. 4) Median lobe of aedeagus in dorsal view. 5) Male tergite VIII.6) Male sternite VIII. 7) Female tergite VIII. 8) Female sternite VIII. 9) Spermatheca. Scale bar for habitus = 1 mm, remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.