Neobisnius occidentoides Frank, 1981

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 : 47

Neobisnius occidentoides Frank, 1981

Materials.

CANADA: ON: Essex Co., East Sister Is. Prov. Nature Res., dry pond bed, yellow pans, 30-VII-2003, S.A. Marshall (1); Leamington, pitfall trap, 17-VIII-1993 (1); Huron Co., Centralia, Dev 1A, pitfall, 16-VIII-1992 (1); Middlesex Co., London, southern crop protection research centre, corn pitfalls 3, 19-VII-1993 (1); London, southern crop protection research centre, pitfall/Masner trap, 2-VIII-1995, T. Sawinski (1).

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished from other orange and black Neobisnius in northeastern North America by the combination of head completely lacking microsculpture, elytra with apically paler area limited to a narrow strip, and the maxillary palpi with at least one segment darkened.

Neobisnius occidentoides is a widespread species and was previously known from Alberta, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Manitoba, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming ( Frank 1981b). This species is also known from Mexico. Herein we newly record it from eastern Canada based on several collections made in the Carolinian region of southern Ontario (Map 27). Neobisnius occidentoides is less strongly associated with water margins than are other bicolored species of the genus, and is frequently collected in agricultural fields with moist soil ( Frank 1981b).