Gyrophaena simulans Seevers, 1951

Brunke, Adam J., Pentinsaari, Mikko & Klimaszewski, Jan, 2021, Integrative taxonomy of Nearctic and Palaearctic Aleocharinae: new species, synonymies, and records (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 1041, pp. 27-99 : 27

Gyrophaena simulans Seevers, 1951 Fig. 25A-G

Material

(DNA barcoded specimens). Canada: Ontario: Hartington, Eel Lake Cottage , 44.563, -76.549, deciduous forest, mushrooms, 4.X.2017, M. Pentinsaari (2, CBG) .

Distribution.

Origin. Nearctic. Canada: ON [new record]. United States: IL, MD, PA.

Diagnosis.

Gyrophaena simulans is extremely similar to G. criddlei and G. pseudocriddlei but has a slightly more transverse and flatter pronotum, with straighter apical and basal margins, and differently shaped upper process of the median lobe in lateral view (Fig. 25B ): longer than that of G. pseudocriddlei but shorter and broader than that of G. criddlei . The emargination of male tergite VIII in G. simulans appears to be shallower and broader than that of G. criddlei but more specimens are needed to confirm this.

Bionomics.

The Canadian specimens were collected by sifting mushrooms in a deciduous forest. No detailed data on the host fungus were recorded.

Comments.

Gyrophaena simulans is a native Nearctic species distributed in eastern North America and is newly reported from Canada. The barcode cluster BOLD:ACY8004 also contains specimens identified as related species G. criddlei (female) and G. pseudocriddlei but more research, with broader sampling of sequenced, identified males, is needed to determine whether these species share a BIN or these specimens are misidentified. As we were unable to verify the identifications at this time, these records are not published here.

Figures

Figure 25. Gyrophaena simulans Seevers A habitus B median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view C spermatheca D male tergite VIII E male sternite VIII F female tergite VIII G female sternite VIII. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B-G).