Bledius neglectus Casey, 1889

Brunke, Adam J. & Marshall, Stephen A., 2011, Contributions to the faunistics and bionomics of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in northeastern North America: discoveries made through study of the University of Guelph Insect Collection, Ontario, Canada, ZooKeys 75, pp. 29-68 : 38

Bledius neglectus Casey, 1889

Materials.

CANADA: PEI: Stanhope Beach, National Park, débris vég. sur plage (=beach debris), 23-VII-1979 (2) R. Sexton.

Diagnosis.

Bledius neglectus can be identified to the Bledius basalis group of species by the combination of the complete elytral epipleuron, the undivided labrum and the lack of a suture on the epipleuron ( Herman 1976). Within this group in northeastern North America, it is best recognized by the combination of: pronotal pubescence directed toward the midline; dark elytral maculation reaching lateral margin of scutellum; basal angle of pronotum strongly sinuate; pronotum with coarse punctures, separated by their widths.

This species is widely distributed along the coast of eastern North America and was previously known from Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Newfoundland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Rhode Island ( Herman 1976), and New Brunswick ( Majka et al. 2008). Herein we newly report it from Prince Edward Island (Map 12). It occurs along marine coastline on 'moist, un-vegetated flats’, intertidal zones and often away from shore on the leeward sides of islands and peninsulas ( Herman 1976). The specimen from vegetative beach debris in Prince Edward Island may have been a dispersing individual seeking refuge from desiccation.