Atheta (Dimetrota) sphagnicola Klimaszewski & Webster

Webster, Reginald P., Klimaszewski, Jan, Bourdon, Caroline, Sweeney, Jon D., Hughes, Cory C. & Labrecque, Myriam, 2016, Further contributions to the Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) fauna of New Brunswick and Canada including descriptions of 27 new species, ZooKeys 573, pp. 85-216 : 116-119

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (Dimetrota) sphagnicola Klimaszewski & Webster sp. n. Figs 141-145

Holotype (male).

Canada, New Brunswick, York Co., Charters Settlement, 45.8267°N, 66.7343°W, 16.IV.2005, R.P. Webster, coll. // Carex marsh in Sphagnum hummocks (LFC). Paratypes: Canada, New Brunswick, Queens Co., Upper Gagetown, bog adjacent to Hwy 2, 45.8316°N, 66.2346°W, 12.IV.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // Tamarack bog, in sphagnum hummocks & litter at bog margin (1 ♂, RWC). Saint John Co., Chance Harbour off Rt. 790, 45.1355°N, 66.3672°W, 15.V.2006, R.P. Webster, coll. // Calcareous fen, in sphagnum & litter in depression with Carex (1 ♂, RWC).

Etymology.

The specific name, sphagnicola, meaning "living on Sphagnum ", is in reference to the Sphagnum hummocks where the holotype was collected.

Description.

Body length 3.4 mm, narrowly elongate, subparallel; head, pronotum, and abdomen dark brown to almost black, elytra yellowish reddish brown with base and scutellar area darker (Fig. 141); integument strongly glossy with strong meshed microsculpture; forebody with fine and moderately dense punctation and pubescence; head rounded and arcuate posterolaterally, with eyes moderately large, about as long as postocular area; antennae with articles V–X subquadrate to moderately transverse; pronotum transverse, rounded on sides, distinctly wider than head and narrower than elytra, pubescence directed laterad from midline of disk; elytra transverse, truncate apically, with pubescence directed posterolaterad; abdomen subparallel, narrower than elytra and arcuate laterally. Male. Median lobe of aedeagus with bulbus moderately narrowly oval, with rounded projections apicolaterally (Fig. 142), tubus with apical part narrowly triangular and sinuate in lateral view, venter arcuate (Fig. 143); internal sac with complex structures (Figs 142, 143); tergite VIII shallowly emarginate apically, with two small lateral teeth (Fig. 144); sternite VIII elongate and rounded apically (Fig. 145). Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Known only from NB, Canada.

Natural history.

The three known individuals of this species were collected from sphagnum in a Carex marsh, a calcareous fen, and a tamarack bog. Adults were collected during April and May.

Comments.

This species is very distinct in its genital structures. It is superficially similar to Atheta (Dimetrota) venti (Lohse) in terms of having a broad tubus of the median lobe of aedeagus in dorsal view. For illustration of Atheta (Dimetrota) venti see Lohse et al. (1990).