A REVISION OF THE GENUSSEPEDOPHILUSGISTEL (COLEOPTERA: STAPHYLINIDAE) OF AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO

Abstract

The species of the genus Sepedophilus (Staphylinidae: Tachyporinae) of America north of Mexico are revised. Thirty species are recognized. Thirteen new species are described: wickhami from the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada; brachypterus, frosti, micans, ctenidialis, and kiteleyi from eastern North America; beckeri from the southcentral United States; and hermani, smetanai, stephani, arizonensis, coronadensis, and velox from the southwestern United States. The following species names are placed in synonymy: knoxii LeConte and carissimus Hatch (= littoreus Linnaeus); imbricatus Casey, limuloides Casey, and elongatus Blatchley (= testaceus Fabricius); corticola Casey (= cinctulus Erichson); virginiae Casey (= velocipes Casey); and subtilis Casey (= debilis Casey). The species cinctulus Erichson and bisignatus Horn, formerly considered as synonyms of opicus Say and bipustulatus Fabricius respectively are recognized as valid species. The Palearctic species marshami Stephens is reported for the first time from the Nearctic region. The usage of the generic group names Sepedophilus Gistel, Conurus Stephens, Conosoma Kraatz, and Conosomus Motschulsky is discussed. The North American species are divided into 12 species groups based on an examination of the Nearctic, Neotropical, and Palearctic faunas. The distribution of each species is mapped, and the male and female eighth abdominal sternites and tergites, the male genitalia and other diagnostic characters, are illustrated. A neotype is designated for Tachyporus opicus Say, and lectotypes are designated when necessary for all the North American species of Sepedophilus described by Gravenhorst, Erichson, LeConte, Horn, and Casey. A diagnostic key for all the species except S. heathi Wasmann is given. A brief discussion of the nomenclatural history of the genus, of collecting techniques, and of the major diagnostic characters is included.

The coastal rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) of Atlantic Canada: a survey and new records

“…Sepedophilus marshami (Stephens, 1832) Th is species was recorded from Nova Scotia by Campbell (1976) and from New Brunswick by Majka and Klimaszewski (2008). Its distribution in North America is shown in Campbell (1976) and in the Maritime Provinces by Majka and Klimaszewski (2008).…”

“…Its distribution in North America is shown in Campbell (1976) and in the Maritime Provinces by Majka and Klimaszewski (2008). Davies (1979) found this adventive Palearctic species in seaweed beach wrack in St. Andrews (NB), and Campbell (1976) reported it from "shore refuse". It has also been found in many forested, open, and fresh-water habitats and probably only occurs sporadically in coastline environments.…”

Introduced Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in the Maritime Provinces of Canada

“…Recorded in Quebec and Nova Scotia since 1959 (Campbell 1976). Collected under bark, on bracket fungi, in decaying logs and leaves, on the forest floor, in leaf litter, moss, hay, and straw refuse, at plant roots, under stones, and in many other similar habitats (Campbell 1976 Harrington, 12.vii.2004, C. Noronha, barley field, ACPE;Harrington, 23.v.2005, C. Noronha, agricultural field, ACPE. Newly recorded in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Maritime Provinces as a whole (Fig. 1).…”

“…Kirby (1837) noted the presence of the Palearctic Philonthus politus (Linnaeus) and Creophilus maxillosus (Linnaeus) (from collections made in 1827-1828 by Captain Basil Hall in Nova Scotia). Subsequently, Lindroth (1957), Campbell (1976), Smetana (1982Smetana ( , 1995, Hoebeke (1995aHoebeke ( , 1995b, Klimaszewski (1984), Klimaszewski et al (2006Klimaszewski et al ( , 2007, Majka and Klimaszewski (2004), , Majka and Smetana (2007), and have added records of 38 introduced rove beetles. Gouix and Klimaszewski (2007), in their catalogue of Aleocharinae of Canada and Alaska, provide a useful checklist of 38 introduced species.…”

How far have we come: 170 years of research on Canadian Coleoptera

“…Despite this, Campbell et al (1978) noted that the only comprehensive treatments of beetles in Canada were Lindroth's work on Carabidae, Bright (1976) on the Scolytinae, and Barron (1971) on the Trogositidae. Th is summary actually understated the research which had been conducted since investigators such as John Milton Campbell (1973Campbell ( , 1976 had revised Tachinus and Sepidophilus (Staphylinidae) in North and Central America; Edward C. Becker (1971Becker ( , 1974 had revised the Nearctic species of Agriotes and Athous (Elateridae); W.J. Brown (1934Brown ( , 1935aBrown ( , 1935bBrown ( , 1935cBrown ( , 1936aBrown ( , 1936bBrown ( , 1936cBrown ( , 1936d had revised the genus Dalopius and substantial portions of the genus Ctenicera (senus lato), then known as Ludius (Elateridae); Ales Smetana (1971) had revised the Quediini (Staphylinidae) in North America; Henry F. Howden (1964Howden ( , 1968 had revised the Geotrupidae and the Trichiinae of North and Central America; J.B. Wallis (1961) had surveyed the Cicindelinae of Canada; and A.R.…”