Novitates PUBLISHED by the AMERICAN MUSEUM of NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST at 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y
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AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 U.S.A. NUMBER 2701 SEPTEMBER 22, 1980 PEDRO WYGODZINSKY AND KATHLEEN SCHMIDT Survey of the Microcoryphia (Insecta) of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Provinces of Canada AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 2701, pp. 1-17, figs. 1-10 September 22, 1980 Survey of the Microc-oryphia (Insecta) of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Provinces of Canada PEDRO WYGODZINSKY1 AND KATHLEEN SCHMIDT2 ABSTRACT A survey of the Microcoryphia of New York, is not confirmed. Machilis variabilis Say, de- New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as well as the New scribed from "North America," is not identifi- England states and the Canadian provinces of able. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfound- Males were not found among the hundreds of land showed four species present. Petrobius brev- specimens of North American Trigoniophthalmus istylis and Trigoniophthalmus alternatus were alternatus examined, making a parthenogenetic probably introduced from Europe on ballast; Ped- mode of reproduction highly likely. Males were etontus saltator, new species, and Machiloides rare in Petrobius brevistylis (approximately 3 per- petauristes, new species, are native. Petrobius cent of all specimens examined), and were not canadensis Paclt, 1969, is synonymized with Pe- discovered among the limited material of the new trobius brevistylis Carpenter, 1913. The presence species of Pedetontus and Machiloides. ofPetrobius maritimus (Leach) in North America INTRODUCTION Machilids are abundant in genera and We have amalgamated the data contained species in the southeastern and western in the literature with our own information on United States and in western Canada, but the systematics, distribution, and ecology of appear to be rarely collected in the eastern the machilids in the region studied in the United States and eastern Canada. The lit- hope of making knowledge of machilids of erature on North American machilids is scat- the northeastern United States and of adja- tered. There is no comprehensive work and cent areas of Canada more accessible. correct identification of these insects is therefore laborious, if feasible at all. 'Curator, Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History. 2Scientific Assistant, Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History. Copyright © American Museum of Natural History 1980 ISSN 0003-0082 / Price $1.50 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 2701 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS mon in Europe where other species of the First, we express our gratitude to Dr. Paul respective genera also occur, but no endemic E. Schaefer, of Durham, New Hampshire. species of these genera have been found in Dr. Schaefer provided the initial stimulus for North America. The last two species belong writing the present paper and allowed us to to genera which are represented in eastern use his notes. He also made it possible for North America by various endemic species us to incorporate his specimens into the col- in addition to those described here. lections of the American Museum of The question arises as to the origin of the Natural disjunct distribution of the European and History (AMNH). American populations of Petrobius brevi- Dr. Charles J. Cole, American Museum of stylis and Trigoniophthalmus alternatus, Natural History, gave of his time to acquaint viz., either vicariance as a consequence of us with recent work on parthenogenesis. Dr. geological events of the past, or dispersal R. Hoebecke, Department of Entomology, through the agency of man. We cannot imag- Cornell University (CU), permitted us to ine that these wingless, rather large insects, study specimens under his care and provided both species of which live almost exclusively information on the biology of a machilid on rocks, floated or were transported by air species. Mr. Sidney Horenstein, American currents across the gap of the northern At- Museum of Natural History, advised us on lantic to arrive alive on the American shores. geological and geographical matters. Dr. J. It seems even less conceivable that the eggs, E. H. Martin, of the Biosystematics Re- which are glued to rocks when they are laid, search Institute, Agriculture Canada (CNC) would be able to make such a journey with- sent us valuable material. Mr. A. Singer, out the intervention of man. Photography Studio, of the American Mu- The vicariance hypothesis cannot be seum of Natural History, assisted us with proved or disproved but it should be kept in photographic work. Mr. Louis Sorkin, also mind that the minimum for the opening of of the American Museum of Natural History, the northern Atlantic is considered to be 49 collected and contributed specimens. Dr. H. million years (Malcolm McKenna, personal Striimpel, of the Hamburg Zoological Mu- commun.) and we cannot imagine that either seum, lent us types that were crucial to our Petrobius brevistylis or Trigoniophthalmus studies. Dr. H. Sturm, of the Hochschule alternatus could have remained unchanged Hildesheim, generously gave us specimens. morphologically for such a long period, on Dr. Barry Wright, Nova Scotia Museum, both sides of the Atlantic. There is no reason Halifax (HZM), made it possible for us to for considering a Beringian bridge because examine the machilids of that museum. Ms. the two species, or even their genera, are not Candy Feller, National Museum of Natural known from either Siberia or northwestern History (Smithsonian Institution), gave us a North America. valuable specimen. Part of the fieldwork that Dispersal through the agency of man led to this paper was carried out by the au- seems plausible. Lindroth (1957) exposed the thors, ably assisted by Dr. R. Schmidt (Ford- important role ballast played for the west- ham University) and Dr. R. T. Schuh (Amer- ward transport of insects across the Atlantic ican Museum of Natural History). We thank in historic times. Petrobius and Trigo- all of the above. niophthalmus have several of the properties that make an insect especially fit to be thus GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION transported (adapted from Lindroth, loc. The region studied is known with certainty cit.). These machilids are terricolous, have to harbor four species of Microcoryphia: Tri- no pronounced moisture requirements, will goniophthalmus alternatus, Petrobius brev- settle disturbed areas or open waste places, istylis, Pedetontus saltator, and Machiloides are flightless, and have parthenogenetic re- petauristes. The first two species are com- production, namely, all Trigoniophthalmus 1980 WYGODZINSKY AND SCHMIDT: MICROCOR YPHIA 3 IA 4 111111r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-CF117. FIG. 1. Some habitats of Microcoryphia in the northeastern United States. A. Remains of stone wall in disturbed area where Trigoniophthalmus alternatus occurs (Westchester Co., New York). B. Rocky coast where Petrobius brevistylis is found (Hancock Co., Maine). C, D. Limestone cliff and rock wall each inhabited by Pedetontus saltator and Machiloides petauristes (Balesville, Sussex Co., New Jersey, type locality for both species). alternatus and most Petrobius brevistylis. SYSTEMATICS Both Petrobius and Trigoniophthalmus lay MACHILIS LATREILLE, 1806 their eggs on rocks, a substance frequently used for ballast. Lindroth (loc. cit.) actually Machilis is a genus restricted to Europe collected a specimen of Petrobius at a bal- and is only listed here because the name has last-place in southern Devon (England) at been occasionally used incorrectly for Amer- Dartmouth. Also, Stach (1939) reported Tri- ican machilids. goniophthalmus alternatus from a locality near Hamburg, Germany, the specimens Machilis variabilis Say, 1821 having been collected on bricks at the foot Say (1821) described M. variabilis from of a river wall just above a steamboat land- "probably every temperate part of North ing. Stach (oc. cit.) implied that such a sit- America." No more detailed type locality is uation indicates that boat traffic might play given, and the description does not provide a role in machilid dispersal. Janetschek any features usable in modern machilid tax- (1951) was the first to attribute the presence onomy. Types are not extant. of T. alternatus on Long Island, New York, Gervais (1844) indicated this species as to introduction by man. from North America, without any detail. 4 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 2701 mens, but stated the species to be "widely distributed over the eastern portion of the United States." Folsom (1928) reported the species from the southern end of Canandaigua Lake in New York and to be generally distributed in other states, namely, Massachusetts (no lo- cality given), Indiana, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Robert (1964) reported Machilis variabilis from localities in Quebec (Rigaud, Cte. Vau- dreuil, and Laval-des-Rapides). He illustrat- ed a specimen which is not identifiable as to its genus and species. We conclude that Machilis variabilis is un- identifiable, and we strongly suggest that the name not be used any more for American machilids. KEY TO THE GENERA OF MICROCORYPHIA OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 1. Ocelli subtriangular, located submedially (fig. 3A); ovipositor completely covered by cox- ites of ninth segment .................... ............ Trigoniophthalmus Verhoeff Ocelli shoesole-shaped, transverse, situated before anterior border of eyes (fig. 5A, 7A, 9A); ovipositor of mature females extending to or beyond