The Eucnemidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: new records, observations on composition and zoogeography, and comments on the rarity of saproxylic beetles

Abstract

The Family Eucnemidae in the Maritime Provinces of Canada is surveyed. Eleven species are now known from the region. Ten species are recorded in Nova Scotia, six in New Brunswick, and four on Prince Edward Island. Nine new provincial records (four from Nova Scotia, four from Prince Edward Island, and one from New Brunswick) are reported, and two species, Microrhagus triangularis (Say) and Nematodes penetrans (LeConte), are newly recorded in the Maritime Provinces as a whole. The four species reported from Prince Edward Island are the first records of the family Eucnemidae from the province. The composition of the fauna is in broad agreement with that of northeastern North America. The faunas on Prince Edward and Cape Breton Islands are diminished with respect to the mainland, but are more robust than that of other saproxylic groups. Many species of eucnemids have been very infrequently collected and may actually be rare. In this regard eucnemids are similar to many other groups of saproxylic beetles, although they are proportionately even less abundant than many other groups. A variety of studies that have reported on this phenomenon have pointed to the history of forest management in the region as potential being responsible for this scarcity. The eucnemids in this region are almost entirely associated with deciduous trees. The history of forest management in the Maritime Provinces, as well as that of introduced forest diseases, is such as to have had a major impact on the composition and structure hardwood forests, and hence potentially on insects such as eucnemids which are reliant on these hosts. Consequently further research is urged in order to better ascertain their status, and to develop appropriate conservation measures for these important indicator species of diverse forest structure.

Deadwood and saproxylic beetle diversity in naturally disturbed and managed spruce forests in Nova Scotia

“…If the goal in managing forests in Nova Scotia is to maintain patterns of heterogeneity similar to those that arise after natural disturbances, the indication off ered here by saproxylic beetles is that this goal is not being met. Majka (2007) examined 14 families, subfamilies, and tribes of saproxylic beetles in the Maritime Provinces of Canada and found 59 apparently rare species (representing ≤ 0.005% of specimens from the region) that comprise 33% of the 178 species within these groups. Majka (2007) proposed that this apparent scarcity of a large proportion of the saproxylic fauna might be due to the history of forest management practices in the region.…”

“…Majka (2007) examined 14 families, subfamilies, and tribes of saproxylic beetles in the Maritime Provinces of Canada and found 59 apparently rare species (representing ≤ 0.005% of specimens from the region) that comprise 33% of the 178 species within these groups. Majka (2007) proposed that this apparent scarcity of a large proportion of the saproxylic fauna might be due to the history of forest management practices in the region. If Nova Scotia has not yet suff ered biodepletion to the extent of European forests, this may only refl ect the fact that not enough time has passed for the deadwood lingering from old-forests in second-growth forests to fully return to soil.…”

The Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada: new records, distribution, zoogeography, and observations on beetle-fungi relationships in saproxylic environments

“…For instance only two species (14% of the native fauna) have been recorded on PEI, and only one species (7%) on Cape Breton Island. Majka (2007b) surveying 18 families, subfamilies, and tribes of native saproxylic beetles (a total of 283 species) in the Maritime Provinces found that the Prince Edward Island fauna (85 species) was comprised of 30% of the total mainland fauna while the Cape Breton Island fauna (94) species was 33% of the total mainland fauna. On this basis it would appear that the ciid fauna of both these islands should include additional, as yet undocumented species.…”

“…Apparently Rare Species Majka (2007b) summarized information on the abundance of saproxylic beetles in 18 families, subfamilies, and tribes in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, drawing attention to the fact that 59 of 283 species (20.8%) were apparently rare ("rare" defined as representing < 0.005% of specimens examined from the region). Based on that criterion, Cis horridulus, Cis striolatus, and Cis subtilis, are very infrequently collected (< 5 specimens out of a total of 100,000 Coleoptera specimens examined), and would be considered apparently rare.…”

History of Coleoptera collecting in New Brunswick, Canada: advancing our knowledge of the Coleoptera fauna in the early 21st century

“…Majka examined various regional collections, including the NBM, UMC, CNC, and many other collections and published a series of papers between 2005 and 2011, reviewing the Coleoptera fauna of the Maritime Provinces, which included numerous new records from New Brunswick. Majka and various coauthors treated 61 families (listed in taxonomic order) in the following publications, adding 259 new records for New Brunswick, including eight new Canadian records, and one new North American record [number of new provincial records (NPR) or new Canadian records (NCR) in brackets]: Gyrinidae [4 NPR] (Majka and Kenner 2009), Carabidae [6 NPR] (Majka et al 2007c), Haliplidae [6 NPR] (Majka et al 2009d), Histeridae [2 NPR] (Majka 2008a), Ptiliidae [5 NPR including 1 NCR] (Majka and Sörensson 2007), Leiodidae [8 NPR] (Majka and Langor 2008), Lucanidae [3 NPR] (Majka 2008c), Eucinetidae [1 NPR] (Majka 2010a), Clambidae [2 NPR] Majka and Langor 2009), Byrrhidae [4 NPR] (Majka et al 2007d, Majka and Langor 2011b), Eucnemidae [1 NPR] (Majka 2007c), Throscidae (Majka 2011b), Elateridae [13 NPR] (Majka and Johnson 2008), Derodontidae, Dermestidae [3 NPR], Bostrichidae [1 NPR], Ptinidae [3 NPR] (Majka 2007b), Trogossitidae [3 NPR] (Majka 2011c), Cleridae [3 NPR] (Majka 2006b), Melyridae [3 NPR] (Majka 2005), Sphindidae [2 NPR] (Majka 2010b), Erotylidae [2 NPR] (Majka 2007a, Majka et al 2010c), Monotomidae [1 NPR] (Majka and Bousquet 2010), Cryptophagidae [9 NPR including 1 NCR] (Majka et al 2010a, Majka and Langor 2010), Silvanidae [2 NPR], Cucujidae ...…”