Integrative taxonomy of Nearctic and Palaearctic Aleocharinae: new species, synonymies, and records (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae).

Abstract

A long tradition of separate Nearctic and Palaearctic taxonomic studies of the diverse aleocharine rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) has obscured the recognition of Holarctic species and detection of adventive species in both regions. Recently, integrated study of the two regions through detailed morphological comparisons and development of an authoritatively identified DNA barcode reference library has revealed the degree to which these two aleocharine faunas are interconnected, both naturally and through human activity. Here this approach is adopted to recognize new species, reveal Holarctic species, and recognize adventive species in both North America and Europe. The following new species are described: Isoglossatriangularis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov. from British Columbia; Gnypetaimpressicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov., from Ontario, Maryland and North Carolina; Aloconotapseudogregaria Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov., from Ontario and Virginia; and Philhygrapseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov. from eastern Canada. Dasygnypetavelata and Philhygraangusticauda are revealed to be Holarctic species, resulting in the following synonymies: Dasygnypetavelata (Erichson, 1839) = Gnypetaminuta Klimaszewski & Webster, 2008, syn. nov. and Philhygraangusticauda (Bernhauer, 1909) = Atheta (Philhygra) pinegensis Muona, 1983, syn. nov. The Nearctic species Hylotaochracea (and genus Hylota), Thecturotatenuissima, and Trichiusarobustula are newly reported from the Palaearctic region as adventive, resulting in the following synonymies: Hylotaochracea Casey, 1906 = Stichoglossa (Dexiogyia) forticornis Strand, 1939, syn. nov.; Thecturotatenuissima Casey, 1893 = Athetamarchii Dodero, 1922, syn. nov.; and Trichiusarobustula Casey, 1893 = T.immigrata Lohse, 1984, syn. nov. The Palaearctic species Amarocharaforticornis, Anomognathuscuspidatus, Oligotapumilio, and Parocyusarubicunda are newly confirmed from the Nearctic region as adventive, resulting in the following synonymies: Parocyusarubicunda (Erichson, 1837) = Chiloporaamericana Casey, 1906, syn. nov. and Anomognathuscuspidatus (Erichson, 1839) = Thecturaamericana Casey, 1893, syn. nov. The genus Dasygnypeta, sensu nov. is newly reported from North America, Paradilacra is newly reported from eastern North America, and Haploglossa is newly reported from Canada, resulting in the following synonymy: Paradilacradensissima (Bernhauer, 1909) = Gnypetasaccharina Klimaszewski & Webster, 2008, syn. nov. Native Cypheawallisi is newly reported from across Canada and C.curtula is removed from the Nearctic fauna. The status of both Gyrophaenaaffinis and Homalotaplana is uncertain but these species are no longer considered to be adventive in North America. Three new combinations are proposed: Dasygnypetabaranowskii (Klimaszewski, 2020) and D.nigrella (LeConte, 1863) (both from Gnypeta) and Mocytascopula (Casey, 1893) (from Acrotona). Dolosota Casey, 1910, syn. nov. (type species Eurypronotascopula Casey), currently a subgenus of Acrotona, is therefore synonymized with Mocyta Mulsant & Rey, 1874. Additionally, four new Canadian records and 18 new provincial and state records are reported.