PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH 108(4), 2006, pp. 761-764 BRACHYGLUTA ABDOMINALIS (AUBÉ) (COLEOPTERA: STAPHYLINIDAE) NEWLY RECORDED IN CANADA, WITH NOTES ON OTHER BEACH-DRIFT BEETLES CHRISTOPHER G. MAJKA AND JEFFREY OGDEN (CGM) Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 (email: [email protected]); (JO) Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 130, Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia Canada B0N 2H0 (email: [email protected]) Abstract. – Brachygluta abdominalis (Aubé) is reported for the first time in Canada from collections in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Leptacinus intermedius Donisthorpe, Atheta novaescotiae Klimaszewski and Majka, Hypocaccus fraternus (Say), and Sapintus pusillus (LaFerté-Sénectère) are newly reported from New Brunswick. Beach-drift Coleoptera are discussed, as is the potential vulnerability of this community within an environment that has been much diminished and disturbed by anthropogenic activities. Key words: Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae, Brachygluta abdominalis, salt marsh, sand dune, littoral environment, Bay of Fundy Since 2002, one of us (CGM) has been (Chandler 1997). It has not hitherto been investigating the beetle fauna of salt-marsh, recorded from Canada. sand-dune, beach-drift, and other shore- Members of the genus Brachygluta line environments at Mary’s Point in the are found under leaf litter or stones, or in Shepody National Wildlife Area, Albert mosses and grass clumps along streams, County, New Brunswick, Canada (45º 43’ N, ponds, or marshes (Chandler 2001). 64º 39’ W) located along the upper reaches Brachygluta abdominalis has been collected of Chignecto Bay. This survey yielded the from grass and deciduous leaf litters at first Canadian record of the pselaphine margins of salt marshes, under beach staphylinid, Brachygluta abdominalis drift, and at ultraviolet light (Chandler (Aubé, 1833). We also report this species 1997). The genera Brachygluta Thomson, from Nova Scotia based on museum Briaraxis Brendel, Nisaxis Casey, and specimens and give the first records from Reichenbachia Leach (all members of the New Brunswick of Hypocaccus fraternus subtribe Brachglutina) are unique amongst (Say) (Histeridae), Atheta novaescotiae North American Pselaphinae for having Klimaszewski and Majka, Leptacinus species that occur in tidal zones. intermedius Donisthorpe (Staphylinidae), and Sapintus pusillus (LaFerté-Sénectère) RESULTS (Anthicidae). Brachygluta abdominalis (Aubé) has On 9 August 2002 C. Majka collected a been recorded from the eastern seaboard specimen of B. abdominalis at Mary’s Pt. in of the United States from Georgia to Maine leaf litter in a small brackish marsh behind VOLUME 108, NUMBER 4 762 763 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON a sand dune on the seacoast. Subsequently R.E. Nelson, edge of salt marsh, Colby on 23 August 2003 and 12 August 2004, College, Waterville, Maine), and Schoodic C. Majka again collected B. abdominalis at Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Hancock this site, this time beneath beach drift at the County (25 July, 2005, D.S. Chandler, salt upper end of the littoral zone along a sand marsh, Acadia National Park collection, Bar beach. The organic matter in this zone is Harbour, Maine). comprised primarily of dead Ascophyllum DISCUSSION nodosum (L.) Le Jolis and Fucus vesiculosus L. that accumulates in a zone between the These records from New Brunswick dry, sandy areas inhabited by the amphipod and Nova Scotia establish the presence Talorchestia longicornis (Say), found of B. abdominalis in Canada. Collection higher up in the littoral zone, and the wetter sites from Maine, New Brunswick, and seaweed-dominated drift material inhabited Nova Scotia are shown in Figure 1, by the amphipod Orchestia gammarella indicating a primarily coastal distribution. Pallas, found lower in the littoral zone. The Howland site, seemingly anomalously Other beach-drift Coleoptera associated inland from the Maine coast, is in fact on with B. abdominalis in this area included the Penobscot River which experiences Aleochara litoralis (Mäklin), Atheta tidal influences for a significant distance novaescotiae Klimaszewski and Majka, along its course. Other potentially suitable Leptacinus intermedius Donisthorpe, sites along the Gulf of Maine, Bay of Cafius bistriatus Erichson, Atheta Fundy, Chignetco Bay, Cumberland Basin, acadiensis Klimaszewski and Majka and Minas Basin should be investigated (Staphylinidae); Enochrus reflexipennis to determine the northern range of this (Zimmerman), Cercyon litoralis (Gyllenhal) species. Atheta novaescotiae, Leptacinus (Hydrophilidae); Hypocaccus fraternus intermedius, Hypocaccus fraternus, and (Say) (Histeridae); Monotoma producta Sapintus pusillus are all herein newly LeConte (Monotomidae); Sapintus reported from New Brunswick (Bousquet pusillus (LaFerté-Sénectère), Amblyderus 1991; Klimaszewski et al. 2006). Rypobius pallens (LeConte) (Anthicidae); and marinus LeConte has recently been newly Rypobius marinus LeConte (Corylophidae) reported in Canada from this site (Majka [specimens in the C.G. Majka collection, and Cline 2006). The recently described Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada]. Atheta acadiensis (Klimaszewski and Subsequent examination of material in Majka in press) has only been found in the other collections revealed two additional Bay of Fundy and on Prince Edward Island. specimens of B. abdominalis collected on Such accounts indicate that much remains 24 June 1994 in Amherst, Cumberland to be learned about the basic biodiversity of County, Nova Scotia (45º 49’ N, 64º 16’ such ecological communities in the Bay of W) at the edge of a salt marsh by Jeffrey Fundy – Gulf of Maine region. Ogden (Nova Scotia Department of Natural Marine environments such as mud Resources Insectary, Shubenacadie, Nova flats, salt marshes, sandy shores and dune Scotia). This site is on the upper reaches areas, shingle beaches, and rocky shores of the Cumberland Basin. Records from support characteristic, although somewhat Maine include specimens from Howland, overlapping beetle communities (Doyen Penobscot County (20 May 1978, R. Tracy, 1976, Moore and Legner 1976). One University of Maine, Bangor, Maine); microhabitat within this larger complex is Spruce Head, Knox County (16 July 1955, the beach-drift environment. This complex R.S. Howard, Field Museum of Natural of beetles occupies a narrowly defined History, Chicago, Illinois); Popham Beach, niche and exploits a particular trophic Sagadahoc County (23 March, 1983, resource in the manner of a guild niche VOLUME 108, NUMBER 4 762 763 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Fig. 1. Distribution of Brachygluta abdominalis in Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. (Terborgh and Robinson 1986) or trophic development of various kinds ... almost guild (Yodzis 1982). Doyen (1976) pointed certainly (exceeds) their rate of formation.” out that littoral and marine Coleoptera are Tyrrell (2005) pointed out that on some found almost exclusively in temperate and beaches large quantities of seaweed and subarctic regions. They are almost entirely other detritus are removed from the wrack lacking in the tropics for reasons that line to “clean up” beaches for recreation remain obscure. or tourism. Such information indicates Beach-drift Coleoptera inhabit an the potential vulnerability of salt marsh environment that has been much diminished, and sand dune beetle communities whose and is vulnerable to disturbance. Of the ecology, composition, and extant is poorly estimated 35,700 hectares of salt marshes known and understood. present in the Bay of Fundy at the time of European colonization, only 5,000-6,000 (~ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 16%) still exist. Fifty-seven percent of large and medium-sized rivers that flow into the Thanks to Donald S. Chandler Bay of Fundy have dams, causeways, and (University of New Hampshire, Durham, other forms of tidal restrictions and coastal NH), David S. Christie (New Brunswick wetlands have experienced various other Federation of Naturalists, Mary’s Pt., forms of environmental degradation (Percy NB), and Stephen Woods (University of 1996a, b, 1999, 2000). Rantwell (1972) Maine, Bangor, ME) for their assistance. emphasized that coastal sand dunes are a Donald S. Chandler was kind enough to diminishing resource throughout Europe verify the determination of B. abdominalis. and North America saying, “Not only is Yves Bousquet (Agriculture and Agri- their generation limited by what is believed food Canada, Ottawa, ON) (Histeridae to be a diminishing bank of offshore sand and Monotomidae), Jan Klimaszewski supplies, but their rate of destruction under (Canadian Forest Service, Ste. Foy, VOLUME 108, NUMBER 4 764 QC) (Aleocharine), and Andrew Cline Majka, C.G., and Cline, A. 2006. New records of (United States Department of Agriculture, Corylophidae (Coleoptera) from the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Coleopterists Bulletin 60: Sacramento, CA) (Corylophidae) verified 106–111. determinations. Alfred Wheeler (Clemson Moore, I. and Legner, E.F. 1976. Intertidal rove University, Clemson, SC) and Donald beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), pp. 421– Chandler reviewed the manuscript and 551. In Cheng, L., ed., Marine Insects. North made many constructive suggestions. The Holland Publishing, Amsterdam. Percy, J.A. 1996a. Fundy’s watery wastes? - pollution first author thanks his colleagues at the in the Bay of Fundy. Fundy Issues 8. Bay of Nova Scotia Museum, Calum Ewing and Fundy Ecosystem Partnership. Available from: Andrew