This species may be distinguished from other Nearctic Atheta (s. str.) by its uniformly black and glossy body, sparse pubescence of forebody, antennal articles elongate, and the shape of its genital structures (Figs 2–4). For a detailed description, see Klimaszewski et al. (2011).

Figures 1–4. 

Atheta (s. str.) borealis Klimaszewski & Langor (female): 1 habitus in dorsal view 2 tergite VIII 3 sternite VIII 4 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Very little is known about the life history of this species. Adults in Newfoundland were captured in pitfall traps on a coastal limestone barren and in riparian forest (Klimaszewski et al. 2011). The Alberta specimen was captured in a window-trap attached to aspen snag in boread aspen forest harvested 29 years previously. Adults were collected in August in Alberta and Newfoundland.

This species is likely continuously distributed in northern boreal forest of Canada.

This species may be distinguished from other Nearctic Atheta (Dimetrota) by its small size (length 2.2–2.6 mm), uniformly black body, dense and asperate punctation of forebody, antennal articles slightly to strongly transverse (Fig. 5), and the shape of its genital structures (Figs 6–12). For a detailed description, see Klimaszewski et al. (2011).

Figures 5–12. 

Atheta (Dimetrota) hampshirensis Bernhauer: 5 habitus in dorsal view 6 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 7 median lobe of aedeagus in dorsal view 8 male tergite VIII 9 male sternite VIII 10 female tergite VIII 11 female sternite VIII 12 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

This species may be confused with A. dadopora Thomson and Strophogastra pencillata Fenyes. Strophogastra pencillata differs from A. hampshirensis by having numerous strong ventral setae near the apical part of the abdomen and A. dadopora is more elongate and has different body proportions. All three species differ in the shape of male tergite VIII, median lobe of aedeagus and spermatheca.

In Newfoundland, adults were collected from June to August using carrion-baited pitfall traps and flight intercept traps in mixedwood and coniferous forest types and on coastal barrens (Klimaszewski et al. 2011). In British Columbia, adults were taken from Sitka spruce forest, June through September, with peak abundance in August/September (Klimaszewski and Winchester 2002). In New Brunswick, adults were found in red spruce forest from July to September (Klimaszewski et al. 2005), and in Nova Scotia in coniferous and deciduous forests, open habitats, on mushrooms, in compost and on carrion (Majka and Klimaszewski 2008).

The Alberta female was captured in July in a window-trap attached to the trunk of an aspen snag in a two-year-old harvested boreal aspen stand.

This species is broadly distributed in Canada and the USA.

This is a sibling species of A. klagesi Bernhauer and was frequenly confused with the latter in collections. It may be distinguished from A. klagesi by its slightly larger size, less glossy body, less intense yellowish colouration of spots on elytra, less intense yellowish colouration of legs, bases of antennae and maxillary palps and overall less contrasting body colour (Fig. 13); median lobe of aedeagus has longer tubus and slightly different shape of apex in lateral view (Fig. 14); spermatheca is very similarly shaped in the two species (Fig. 20), and females may be difficult to identify without accompanying males.

Figures 13–20. 

Atheta (Pseudota) pseudoklagesi Klimaszewski & Webster: 13 habitus in dorsal view 14 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 15 median lobe of aedeagus in dorsal view 16 male tergite VIII 17 male sternite VIII 18 female tergite VIII 19 female sternite VIII 20 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

In New Brunswick, adults of this species were found in mature mixed forest, old-growth and old white spruce and balsam fir forests, a mature red spruce forest, and in a wet alder swamp (Webster et al. 2016). Specimens were collected from coral fungi on Populus log, fleshy polypore fungi at base of a dead standing Populus, in decaying gilled mushrooms, in gilled mushrooms, and under bark of red spruce (Webster et al. 2016). Adults were collected from May to September. The Alberta specimens were captured in July in a window-trap.

This species is very likely broadly distributed in Canada and the northern USA, but the existing records for A. klagesi (except for type series) need to be revised because they may contain mixed series of A. klagesi and A. pseudoklagesi.

This species may be distinguished from other Canadian Philhygra by its small subparallel body (length 2.8-3.2 mm), colour dark brown with reddish or yellowish elytra and darker scutellar section, subquadrate pronotum, elytra slightly longer than pronotum, antennal articles V-X subquadrate to slightly elongate (Fig. 21), and distinctive genital structures and terminalia (Figs 22–26).

Figures 21–26. 

Philhygra subpolaris (Fenyes): 21 habitus in dorsal view 22 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 23 male tergite VIII 24 male sternite VIII 25 female tergite VIII 26 female sternite VIII. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

In Alberta, adults were caught in window traps attached to aspen snags in a boreal aspen stand harvested two years previously, and in pitfall traps deployed in canola fields. Adults were collected in July.

It is the first record of this species in Canada, and its broader distribution in Canada is unknown. It is probably continuously distributed in the Rocky Mountains, from Arizona in the south to Canada in the north.

This species is distinguishable by its small body that is compact and narrowly oval in outline (Fig. 27); length 1.7–1.9 mm; uniformly black; forebody with strong microsculpture, that on elytra and abdomen forming scale-like structures, punctation coarse, sparse and flatly impressed, pubescence sparse and approximately evenly distributed on forebody (Fig. 27).

Figures 27–33. 

Agaricomorpha vincenti Klimaszewski & Webster: 27 habitus in dorsal view 28 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 29 male tergite VIII 30 male sternite VIII 31 female tergite VIII 32 female sternite VIII 33 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Agaricomorpha vincenti may be readily distinguished from A. websteri Klimaszewski & Brunke by the differently shaped pronotum, which is much broader than the elytra (Fig. 27), by its uniformly black body, and by the shape of median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 28), male tergite VIII (Fig. 29), and spermatheca (Fig. 33).

In New Brunswick, specimens of A. vincenti were captured in Lindgren funnel traps in a rich Appalachian hardwood forest, a Populus tremuloides stand with a few conifers, an old-growth northern hardwood forest, and a hardwood forest on an island in a river. In Alberta, adults were captured in window traps attached to aspen snags in a boreal aspen stand harvested two years previously. Adults were collected during May, June, and July in New Brunswick, and in May, August and September in Alberta.

This species is probably continuously distributed from New Brunswick to Alberta and likely extends further to Alaska.

(male). Canada, Alberta, Athabasca, 19 km N Calling Lake, 55.3046°N, 113.4848°W, Hammond window-trap, H-95-2-6 (CL), 1997.06.23 (NoFC). Paratypes. Canada, Alberta, Athabasca, 19 km N Calling Lake, 55.3046°N, 113.4848°W, Hammond window-trap, H-95-2-3 (CL), 1997.06.23 (LFC, NoFC) 1 female; Canada, Alberta, Athabasca, 19 km N Calling Lake, 55.3046°N, 113.4848°W, Hammond window-trap, H-95-2-3 (CL), 1997.07.09 (NoFC) 1 female.

Athabascensis is a Latin adjective derived from the name of the Athabasca region in Alberta, where the type series was discovered.

Body length 2.5–2.7 mm; narrow and flat (Fig. 34); more or less uniformly dark brown or reddish-brown with darker head and abdomen, with legs reddish-brown, moderately densely punctate and pubescent, pubescence short and adhering to the body, integument with dense meshed microsculpture, denser on forebody, sculpticells hexagonal, and punctation asperate on forebody; head large, rounded posteriorly and with postocular area strongly converging basally (Fig. 34), slightly wider and longer than pronotum, with small eyes shorter than postocular area; antennae with articles I-III elongate and IV-X subquadrate to slightly transverse (Fig. 34); pronotum about trapezoidal in shape, narrowest at base, widening apically to about apical third and then narrowed apically, slightly transverse, much narrower at base than elytra (Fig. 34); elytra flattened, longer than pronotum, with strong angular shoulders (Fig. 34); abdomen narrow and subparallel, paratergites well developed (Fig. 34). MALE. Median lobe of aedeagus with tubus strongly produced ventrally in lateral view (Fig. 35); internal sac without distinct sclerites (Fig. 35); tergite VIII truncate apically with three pairs of dorsal teeth and narrow median lobe (Fig. 36); sternite VIII wide, broadly rounded apically (Fig. 37). FEMALE. Tergite VIII truncate apically, with two large and hooked apically lateral teeth and some crenulation on apical margin (Fig. 38); sternite VIII rounded apically and with broad space between base of the disc and antecostal suture (Fig. 39); spermatheca with small spherical capsule and narrow and short stem (Fig. 40).

Figures 34–40. 

Anomognathus athabascensis Klimaszewski, Hammond & Langor: 34 habitus in dorsal view 35 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 36 male tergite VIII 37 male sternite VIII 38 female tergite VIII 39 female sternite VIII 40 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

This species is readily distinguishable from A. americanus Casey, the only other representative of this genus in North America (Figs 41–44), by the different body proportions (Fig. 34), head large, longer and wider than pronotum (Fig. 34), and differently shaped tergite VIII of female (male of A. americanus is unknown), with two large and hooked apically lateral teeth (Fig. 38), while in A. americanus tergite VIII has two lateral teeth and one long median spine (Fig. 42).

Figures 41–44. 

Anomognathus americanus (Casey): 41 habitus in dorsal view 42 female tergite VIII 43 female sternite VIII 44 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Known only from Alberta, Canada.

This species was captured in June and July in Alberta. This is a subcortical species whose life history remains unknown. It is most likely associated with galleries of wood boring insects.

This species is easily distinguishable from other Gyrophaena by body shape and colouration (Fig. 45), and the shape of the male and female genital structures (Figs 46–51). For a detailed description, see Seevers (1951).

Figures 45–51. 

Gyrophaena sculptipennis Casey: 45 habitus in dorsal view 46 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 47 male tergite VIII 48 male sternite VIII 49 female tergite VIII 50 female sternite VIII 51 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Very little is known about the life history of this species. The Alberta specimen was captured in a window trap attached to aspen snag in a forest that burned 15 years previously. Adults were collected in Alberta in August and elsewhere in June and August (Seevers 1951).

This species is probably continuously distributed from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to the eastern Rocky Mountains.

This species is easily distinguishable from other Nearctic Placusa by its uniformly black to rarely dark brown body, long elytra (Fig. 52), and the shape of the genital structures (Figs 53–59). For a detailed description, see Klimaszewski et al. (2001).

Figures 52–59. 

Placusa vaga Casey: 52 habitus in dorsal view 53 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 54–56 male tergite VIII 57–59 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Very little is known about the life history of this species. Adults in Quebec were captured in coniferous forests and mainly trapped in Lingren funnel traps (Klimaszewski et al. 2001). The Alberta specimens were captured in a window-traps attached to aspen snag in boreal aspen stands burned two years previously. Adults were collected in Alberta in August and elsewhere in June and August (Seevers 1951).

This species is likely continuously distributed from Nova Scotia to British Columbia in northern boreal forest.

This species is distinguishable by length 3.2–3.4 mm, body narrowly oval, dark brown except for paler antennae, tarsi, and posterior part of elytra near suture (Fig. 60); forebody densely punctate and pubescent; head about one-third of maximum pronotal width; antennal articles IV-X from slightly elongate to subquadrate (Fig. 60); pronotum broadest at basal third and strongly narrowed apically, at base as wide as elytra (Fig. 60). Hylota cryptica may be separated from H. ochracea by its larger, broader and darker body, pronotum at least as wide as elytra at base (slightly narrower in H. ochracea), elongate antennal articles V-X (transverse in H. ochracea), less bent tubus of median lobe laterally (Fig. 61), apical margin of male tergite VIII with minute crenulation (Fig. 62) (with teeth in H. ochracea), and spermatheca with fewer coils (Fig. 66) (8–9 in H. cryptica and about 15–17 in H. ochracea).

Figures 60–66. 

Hylota cryptica Klimaszewski & Webster: 60 habitus in dorsal view 61 median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view 62 male tergite VIII 63 male sternite VIII 64 female tergite VIII 65 female sternite VIII 66 spermatheca. Scale bar of habitus = 1 mm; remaining scale bars = 0.2 mm.

All New Brunswick specimens of H. cryptica were captured in Lindgren funnel traps or flight intercept traps in various forest types (Webster et al. 2016). These included a red oak forest, an old mixed forest with red oak, mixed forests, a hardwood forest on an island in a river, an old-growth northern hardwood forest, an old-growth white spruce and balsam fir forest, an old jack pine forest, an old red pine forest, and an old white pine stand (Webster et al. 2016). The Alberta specimens were captured in June in window traps attached to aspen snag in boreal aspen stands harvested and burned 15 years previously.

This species is most likely continuously distributed from New Brunswick to Alberta.