Liogluta castoris Klimaszewski & Webster

Klimaszewski, Jan, Webster, Reginald P., Langor, David W., Sikes, Derek, Bourdon, Caroline, Godin, Benoit & Ernst, Crystal, 2016, A review of Canadian and Alaskan species of the genus Liogluta Thomson, and descriptions of three new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), ZooKeys 573, pp. 217-256 : 233-236

Liogluta castoris Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 65-71

Holotype

(male). Canada, New Brunswick, York Co., Charters Settlement, 45.8395°N, 66.7391°W, 21.IV.2010, R.P. Webster coll. //Mixed forest opening, collected with net during evening flight between 16:30 and 19:00 h (LFC). Paratypes. York Co., same data as holotype except (2 ♀, RWC); same data as holotype except: 17.VI.2005 // mixed forest in flight (1 ♂, LFC) [barcoded BIO]; same data as holotype except 23.IV.2008 // Mixed forest, in flight, collected with net between 15:00 and 18:00 h (1 ♂, RWC); same data as holotype except 5.IV.2010 // Mixed forest opening, collected with net during evening flight between 16:30 and 19:00 h (1 ♂, RWC); Charters Settlement, 45.8456°N, 66.7267°W, 5.V.2010, 16.V.2010, beaver dam, among sticks and debris near overflow area of dam, near flowing water (1 ♀, LFC; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, RWC); Charters Settlement, 45.8331°N, 66.7279°W, 20.V.2010, among sticks and debris near overflow area of dam, near flowing water (1 ♂, RWC). Saint John Co., ca 2 km NE of Maces Bay, 45.1161°N, 66.4560°W, 8.V.2006, R.P. Webster, eastern white cedar swamp, in sphagnum and litter near brook (1 ♀, RWC). Nova Scotia: Cape Breton H.N.P., North Mtn., 15.VIII.1983, J.E.H. & R.J. Martin (1 ♂, CNC); Cape Breton H.N.P., Lone Shieling, PG729861, 19.VI.1983, Y. Bousquet, interception trap (1 ♂, CNC); Cape Breton H.N.P., Lone Shieling, PG729861, 3.VI.1983, H. Goulet, Pans, Malaise (1 ♂, CNC). Québec: Gatineau Pk., near Mud Lake, 24.X.1967, A. Smetana (2 ♂, CNC).

Etymology.

Castoris is a Latin adjective derived from the name of the American beaver ( Castor canadensis Kuhl), in reference to beaver dams where some of the type specimens were captured.

Description.

Body length 4.6-5.4 mm, subparallel (Fig. 65); head and at least apical part of abdomen dark brown with pronotum, elytra, basal articles of antennae and legs yellowish to reddish-brown; integument moderately glossy, more so on posterior abdomen; forebody with minute and sparse punctation and sparse pubescence (Fig. 65); elytra with minute micro-granulation; head rounded and narrowed posteriorly, with large eyes, each about as long as postocular area in dorsal view (Fig. 65); antennae with articles V-X subquadrate to slightly elongate (Fig. 65); pronotum slightly transverse, broadly rounded laterally, slightly wider than head and narrower than elytra, pubescence directed latero-posteriad from midline of disc (Fig. 65); elytra transverse, at suture as long as pronotum, slightly longer laterally, with pubescence directed posteriad (Fig. 65); abdomen subparallel for most of its length, about as wide as elytra (Fig. 65). Male. Aedeagus with bulbus narrowly oval, median lobe with apical half of tubus slightly arched ventrad, apical part moderately broad in lateral view (Fig. 66); internal sac with few pronounced structures/membrane folds (Fig. 66); apical margin of tergite VIII with very broad truncate projection with obtuse lateral angles, with margin smooth or minutely crenulate (Fig. 67); apical margin of sternite VIII rounded (Fig. 68). Female. Tergite VIII with apical margin broadly rounded (Fig. 69); sternite VIII scarcely emarginate apically, antecostal suture distinctly sinuate, well separated from basal margin (Fig. 70); spermatheca with stem long, sinuate, twisted posteriorly, capsule tubular, with apical invagination narrow, short (Fig. 71).

Natural history.

In New Brunswick, adults were collected using an aerial (butterfly) net in a mixed forest opening during evening flights (between 15:00 and 19:00 h) during April and May. A number of individuals were collected from among sticks and debris near the overflow area of a beaver dam during May. One individual was sifted from sphagnum and litter near a brook in an eastern white cedar swamp in May. In Nova Scotia, specimens were captured in flight interception, pan, and Malaise traps during the months of June and August. The single specimen from Ontario was captured in October.

Distribution.

Canada: Known from NB, NS, QC.

Comments.

This species is similar to Liogluta microgranulosa but in Liogluta castoris the pronotum and elytra are more elongate and more reddish-brown (Fig. 65); the median lobe of the aedeagus has the apical part of the tubus broader and shorter in lateral view (Fig. 66); male tergite VIII is truncate and not at all angulate medially (Fig. 67); the spermatheca has a longer stem (Fig. 71); and female sternite VIII has an apical emargination which is much less noticeable and the antecostal suture is more distinctly sinuate (Fig. 70).