The Biodiversity of Beetles in the Maritime Provinces

Home , Acrotrichis, Atheta, Cassida flaveola, Corthylus, Meotica, Rove beetle

Vol. 27, No. 1 15 The Biodiversity of Beetles in the Maritime Provinces

Christopher G. Majka Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3A6 [email protected]

nderstanding invertebrate biodiversity is a Beetles (Coleoptera) are thought to be Utall order, something apparent to anyone the most species-rich order of organisms in who has attempted to bite off even a minute the world. Estimates vary of how many there slice of this very large pie. As many investi- may be, however, Terry Erwin, a coleopterist gators have pointed out there is a “taxonomic working with the Smithsonian Institution has deficit” in the biological community today as estimated that as many 20 million species exist universities and training institutions gravitate worldwide (Erwin 1991), perhaps a quarter of towards molecular and genetic studies, and the ~ 80 million species of insects. Only some government funding for taxonomic, systematic, 350,000 species of beetles have been described, and biodiversity studies remains very meager. of which ~ 25,160 have been recorded in North Yet being able to identify organisms and deter- America (Marske and Ivie 2003). mine the species composition of environments A major step in understanding the beetle is not only an important activity per se, but is fauna of Canada was the publication in 1991 of also pivotal to the understanding of ecology, the Checklist of Beetles of Canada and Alaska endangered species, climate change, intro- (Bousquet 1991). This enumerated 7,447 spe- duced and invasive species, and the environ- cies in Canada including 1,365 from New mental impacts of anthropogenic activities. If Brunswick, 1,320 from Nova Scotia, and 340 we don’t accurately know the composition of biological communities, how can we conserve them or ascertain if they are changing or being affected by human activities? Knowledge of the biodiversity of terrestrial invertebrates has lagged behind that of vertebrates or even vascular plants. There are many species, some require detailed micro- scopic examination (even of genitalia) to identify them, the taxonomy of many groups is poorly understood, there are long and difficult learning curves to acquire technical proficiency in identification, taxonomic expertise is in short supply, and much of the primary literature is scattered in scientific journals published around the world over the past couple of centuries in a potpourri of languages. Such obstacles have proved daunting to many who have contem- Euvira micmac Klimaszewski and Majka, 2007 (photograph by Klaus Bolte) plated aspects of this undertaking.

16 Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) from Prince Edward Island. This compendium Furthermore there were a number was an important synthesis of information of researchers in the region interested in (some published and some not), however, from Coleoptera. David McCorquodale (CBU); the standpoint of the Maritime Provinces, the Søren Bondrup-Nielsen (Acadia); Peter coverage it was able to provide was meager. Duinker and Tatiana Rossolimo (Dalhousie); The authors of the various chapters relied, for Doug Strongman (St. Mary’s); Donna Giberson the most part, on the holdings of the Canadian (UPEI); David Larson (Memorial); Gaetan National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Moreau (Moncton); Jean-Pierre Le Blanc Nematodes (CNC) in Ottawa (as well as pub- (NSAC); Jeff Ogden (NS DNR); Christine lished sources). Although there are many col- Noronha, Mary Smith, Susan Westby, and lections of insects in the Maritimes, some dat- Gilles Boiteau (Agriculture Canada); Patricia ing to the latter part of the nineteenth century, Baines and Jon Sweeney (CFS); and collect- most have remained little known. The quality ors such as Ken Neil, Dwayne Sabine, Gary of determinations (if the specimens were iden- Selig, David Webster, Reggie Webster, and tified at all) varied greatly, and even when others, who proved enthusiastic supporters of names had been attached to specimens, they initiatives that would better define the beetle often reflected dated nomenclature and tax- fauna of the region. Students such as Kathleen onomy. Consequently the holdings of most of Aikens, DeLancey Bishop, Chantelle Cormier, these collections were not at a level where they Philana Dollin, Clayton D’Orsay, Rebecca could usefully contribute to an understanding Ewing, Daniel Kehler, Sean LeMoine, Heather of the region’s beetle fauna. Love, Andrew MacDonald, and Sheena Towsend deserve special credit for a series of In 2000 I became interested in understand- excellent studies that have contributed much ing the beetle fauna of the Maritime Provinces. contemporary knowledge about the beetle As an ecologist I am interested in ecological communities of the Maritimes. Moreover, this perspectives on the natural world, and in order enthusiasm was not just confined to the region. to take a step in this direction, and not be reli- Many Coleoptera researchers at the Canadian ant on scarce taxonomic expertise of “experts,” National Collection (Pat Bouchard, Yves I embarked on the slow path of understand- Bousquet, Anthony Davies, Serge Laplante, ing Coleopteran taxonomy. Only in this way Laurent Lesage, and Ales Smetana) and the would it be possible discern the biodivers- Canadian Forest Service (Jan Klimaszewski, ity of beetles in the region, itself a necessary David Larson), and the countless taxonomic prerequisite to ecological, environmental, experts around the country, continent, and world evolutionary, and other studies of the fauna. assisted the initiative through their determina- In so doing I discovered both that there were tions of species and expertise. Consequently extensive collections of Coleoptera at organ- I’ve been able to assemble a team of investiga- izations such as Agriculture Canada (Kentville, tors on the ground who have collected material NS; Charlottetown, PEI; Fredericton, NB); the and supplied specimens, and a “virtual” team Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources that have supported these initiatives. What has (Shubenacadie, NS); the Canadian Forest been the result? Service (CFS) (Fredericton, NB; Corner Brook, NF); many universities (Cape Breton (CBU), Since 2004, together with various “team” Acadia, Dalhousie, St. Mary’s, University of members, I have published 54 scientific papers Prince Edward Island, Memorial University, in peer-reviewed publications pertaining to the and the Université de Moncton); at institutes beetles of Atlantic Canada. Nine additional such as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College papers are in press, five are being reviewed, (NSAC); the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and eight others have been completed and will provincial museums; and in the hands of pri- shortly be submitted for publication, a total of vate collectors. 76 studies. Some have been surveys of aspects

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Fig.1. The beetle fauna of Nova Scotia; composition and newly recorded species.

Fig. 2. The beetle fauna of Prince Edward Island; composition and newly recorded species.

18 Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) of the fauna, contributing new provincial, ponents of the NS fauna, but are much less repre- national, and continental records; others have sented on PEI. Are these differences reﬂective been ecological studies, reviews of the biology of different environmental circumstances of particular species, systematic reviews and between the two provinces, or are they simply descriptions of new species, studies of island indicative of differential collection efforts? faunas, studies of saproxylic species associ- Only further research can resolve such ques- ated with decaying wood, reviews of particular tions. The graphs also reveal past emphases on habitats such as coastal faunas, and theoretical families such as the Carabidae and Dytiscidae, and methods papers. which have historically received more attention (consequently fewer new species have been Through a careful examination of his- discovered), and (for example) the Ptiliidae, torical specimens in regional collections, and Cryptophagidae, and Latridiidae in Nova Scotia, availing ourselves of the results of contem- and the Hydrophilidae, Cantharidae, Anobiidae, porary studies, these studies have substan- Latridiidae, Mordellidae, Nitidulidae, Cleridae, tially increased the known beetle fauna of the and Scirtidae (amongst others) on PEI about region. Using as a point of departure the data which almost nothing was previously known. presented in Bousquet (1991), the beetle fauna Within these overall patterns is a large number of Nova Scotia has increased from 1,320 to of interesting topic areas: 2,352 (+ 1,032) species (Fig. 1). The known beetle fauna of Prince Edward Island has • Introduced Species such as Ptinus increased from 340 to 895 (+ 555) species (Fig. sexpunctatus (Anobiidae); Dinoderus minu- 2). Comparable statistics in relation to New tus (Bostrichidae); Sphaeroderma testaceum Brunswick are currently being compiled which (Chrysomelidae); Orchidophilus aterrimus, will further allow us to examine the complete Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus (Curculionidae); regional fauna of the Maritime Provinces. Dermestes undulatus (Dermestidae); Even a quick glance at these graphs yields cer- Cephennium gallicum (Scydmaenidae); Atheta tain insights. The most speciose family in NS celata, Phloeocharis subtilissima, and Quedius is the Staphylinidae, whereas on PEI it is the fuliginosus (Staphylinidae) have all been newly Carabidae. The Leiodidae, Cryptophagidae, recorded in North America from collections Ptiliidae, and Melandryidae are important com- made in the Maritime Provinces.

Christopher Majka sweeping for beetles in a salt marsh at Mary’s Point, New Brunswick. (Photograph by Yves Poussart)

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• Native Species such as Ernobius fili- cornis, Ernobius granulatus, Utobium marm- oratum (Anobiidae); Hyperaspis brunnescens, Naemia s. seriata (Coccinellidae); Clypastrea lunata, Clypastrea fuscum, Rypobius marinus, Gloeosoma hesperus (Corylophidae); Listronotus dietzi, Corthylus columbianus (Curculionidae); Mordellistena indistincta, Mordellistena rubrifascia, Mordellistena rubri- labris (Mordellidae); Acrotrichis haldemani, Acrotrichis josephi, Pteryx sp. (Ptiliidae); Atheta irrita, Meotica exilis, and Myrmecopora vaga Rypobius marinus LeConte (Staphylinidae) have all been newly recorded (photograph by Christopher Majka) in Canada and/or eastern North America from specimens collected in the region. Melyridae, Mordellidae, Mycertidae, Nem- onychidae, Nitidulidae, Ptiliidae, Pyrochroi- • Newly described species such as idae, Pythidae, Ripiphoridae, Salpingidae, Bembidion iridipenne Bousquet and Webster Scraptiidae, Synchroidae, Tenebrionidae, and (Carabidae); Hadromychus chandleri Bousquet Tetratomidae in the Maritime Provinces have and Leschen (Endomychidae); Gnathoncus all been surveyed in recent publications (some barbatus Bousquet and Laplante (Histeridae); of these studies are still in press or in review). Atheta brunswickensis Klimaszewski, Atheta This includes 39 of the 93 families found in the acadiensis Klimaszewski and Majka, Atheta region and represents 50% of the beetle fauna pseudocrenuliventris Klimaszewski, Atheta of the Maritime Provinces. A few specific high- savardae Klimaszewski and Majka, Euvira mic- lights: mac Klimaszewski and Majka, Leptusa jucunda Klimaszewski and Majka, Leptusa pseudopaca • Hyperaspis brunnescens, one of the rarest Klimaszewski and Majka, Proteinus acadien- lady beetles in North America, previously sis Klimaszewski, and Proteinus pseudotho- known from Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota, masi Klimaszewski (Staphylinidae) have was discovered in a Leach’s Petrel burrow recently been described, in whole or in part on Scatarie Island, NS, a range extension of based on specimens collected in the Maritime some 2,100 km (Majka et al. 2007). How Provinces. widely distributed is this species? Does it represent a relict population? Is it regularly • The biology, dispersal, and early timelines found in subterranean habitats? of introduced leaf beetles such as Chrysolina staphylaea, Crioceris asparagi, Crioceris • Quedius s. speleaus is a cave-dwelling rove duodecimpunctata, Cassida flaveola, Cassida beetle found from BC to Saskatchewan in rubiginosa, Lilioceris lilii, Oulema melano- Canada and north to NY in the USA. An pus, Sphaeroderma testaceum, and Pyrrhalta apparently disjunct population is found in viburni has been examined in detail. caves in Nova Scotia (Moseley et al. 2006) together with Gennadota canadensis, an- • The Coleoptera families Anthribidae, other cavernicolous rove beetle previously Apionidae, Attelabidae, Boridae, Bostrichidae, known from only Pennsylvania and Québec Byrrhidae, Carabidae, Cerambycidae, (Majka et al. 2006b). Ciidae, Cleridae, Coccinellidae, Colydiidae, Corylophidae, Curculionidae, Dermestidae, • Majka et al. (2006a) investigated the beetle Derodontidae, Elateridae, Endomychidae, faunas of owl nests in Nova Scotia find- Erotylidae, Eucnemidae, Histeridae, Kateret- ing the first North American records of idae, Latriididae, Leiodidae, Melandryidae, the Palearctic rove beetle Atheta celata,

20 Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods)

as well as Atheta irrita, a rove beetle pre- • Klimaszewski and Majka (2007) described viously known only from its type locale in a new species of rove beetle, Euvira mic- southwestern Nevada. Finding A. celata in mac, which is an inquiline in oak apple remote Boreal Owl nest in Cape Breton (in galls known from Nova Scotia, Ohio, and addition to six other introduced species) is Michigan. an interesting indicator of how adventive • Hadromychus chandleri is probably the rarest species have colonized native habitats. Is species of endomychid (handsome fungus A. irrita a regularly occurring co-inhabitant beetle) in North America. It was described of owl nests (whose fauna has seldom been by Bousquet and Leschen (2002) on the basis studied in North America)? of seven specimens from New Hampshire, • Majka and McCorquodale (2006) newly Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Québec. Majka recorded two species of lady beetles in (2007a) reported ﬁve additional specimens Canada, Diomus amabilis and Naemia s. from Nova Scotia, the apparent population seriata, from collections made in Nova “centre” of this species. Scotia. Both are coastal species found in An ongoing important area of interest the USA north to New England. Naemia and investigation are saproxylic beetles (those seriata inhabits salt marshes feeding on associated with the decomposition of wood), Spartina pollen. Both likely represent dis- and several major studies on this topic are pres- junct populations in Nova Scotia and work ently in press or in review. A number of the on the genetics of N. seriata is presently be- survey papers published to date have dealt with ing carried out by Natalia Vandenberg at the saproxylic families and Fig. 3 illustrates one Smithsonian Institution.

Fig. 3. Native saproxylic beetles of the Maritime Provinces. Rare species are those represented by ≤ 5 specimens of ≤ 0.005% of specimens examined.

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Klimaszewski, J., and C.G. Majka. 2007. Euvira micmac, a new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), and ﬁrst record of the genus in Canada. The Canadian Entomologist 139(2): 147–153. Majka, C.G. 2007a. The Erotylidae and Endomychidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: new records, zoogeography, and observations on beetle-fungi relationships and forest health. Zootaxa 1546: 39–50. Majka, C.G. 2007b. The Eucnemidae (Coleoptera) Hyperaspis brunnescens (Dobzhansky) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: new (photograph by Christopher Majka) records, observations on composition and zoogeography, and comments on the scarcity of important result of these studies. Several papers saproxylic beetles. Zootaxa 1636: 33–46. summarized in Majka (2007b) have found size- Majka, C.G. and D.B. McCorquodale. 2006. The able fractions of the fauna that are apparently Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime rare, i.e., those represented by ≤ 5 specimens Provinces of Canada: new records, biogeo- (or ≤ 0.005% of specimens examined). Fifty- graphic notes, and conservation concerns. nine of 208 species (28%) investigated thus far Zootaxa 1154: 49–68. fall into this category, a result which may at Majka, C.G., J. Klimaszewski, and R.F. Lauff. least in part be attributable to the long history 2006a. New Coleoptera records from owl nests of forest management practices in the region. in Nova Scotia, Canada. Zootaxa 1194: 33–47. Although we have learned a very con- Majka, C.G., M. Moseley, and J. Klimaszewski. siderable amount about the beetle fauna of 2006b. Gennadota canadensis (Casey) the region, it is nonetheless clear that much (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae): new records, remains to be done. It is to be hoped that a basic a range extension, and bionomic notes. The understanding of the biodiversity of the region, Coleopterists Bulletin 60(3): 231–234. and a sense of the origins and distribution of Majka, C.G., K.R. Aikens, A. MacDonald, its fauna, will serve as springboards for further S.M. Townsend, D.B. and McCorquodale. ecological, physiological, genetic, environ- 2007. Hyperaspis brunnescens Dobzhansky mental, and other studies. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) newly recorded in Canada from Scatarie Island, Nova Scotia. References cited Entomological News 118(4): 402–406. Bousquet, Y. (ed.). 1991. Checklist of Beetles Marske, K.A. and M.A. Ivie. 2003. Beetle fauna of of Canada and Alaska. Agriculture Canada: the United States and Canada. The Coleopterists Research Branch, Publication 1861/E, Ottawa. Bulletin 57: 495–503. 430 pp. Moseley, M., J. Klimaszewski, and C. G. Majka. Bousquet, Y. and R.A.B. Leschen. 2002. Description 2006. Description of the pupa and observations of a new genus and species of Endomychidae on the distribution, ecology and life history of (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) from Northeastern Quedius spelaeus spelaeus Horn (Coleoptera: North America. The Coleopterists Bulletin Staphylinidae) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Zootaxa 56(2): 291–298. 1226: 61–68. Erwin, T.L. 1991. How many species are there?: Revisited. Conservation Biology 5(3): 330–333.