LIBRARY OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

590.5
FI

V. 39
cop. 3

NATURAL HISTORy,
SURVEY

FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY

A continuation of the

ZOOLOGICAL SERIES

of

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

VOLUME 39

NATURAL HISTORV PURVEY

FEB 11 1971

IIRR4RY

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
CHICAGO, U.S.A.

>9

•-^^ FIELDIANA • ZOOLOGY
p.3

I Published by

f CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Voliune 39 November 17, 1960 No. 41

Three New Histerid Beetles from the Pacific

Northwest, with Records and Synonymies

of Additional Species

(Coleoptera: Histeridae)

Rupert L. Wenzel

Curator, Division of Insects

The following notes and descriptions are published at this time
in order to provide Professor Melville Hatch with certain names and
synonymies needed for his treatment of the family Histeridae in
Volume 3 of Beetles of the Pacific Northwest.

I am indebted to the following individuals for the privilege of
studying specimens in their care: Prof. George E. Ball, University
of Alberta, Edmonton; Dr. William J. Brown, Entomology Research
Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa; Dr. J. F.
Gates Clarke and Dr. 0. L. Cartwright, United States National
Museum; Prof. Melville H. Hatch, University of Washington; Dr.
Edward S. Ross, California Academy of Sciences; and Prof. Harry C.
Severin, South Dakota State College, Brookings, South Dakota. I
am indebted to Mr. Hugh B. Leech, California Academy of Sciences,
for supplying information on certain localities in British Columbia
and California.

I am indebted to Miss Marion Pahl, Staff Illustrator, for the ex-
ecution of figure 79, D, E, as well as for other assistance in the
preparation of the illustrations. All photographs were made by me.

Where locality data include the county in parentheses, the county
name was not on the original specimen label but has been supplied
by me.

P-P= length between anterior angles of pronotum and apex of
pygidium; P-E= length between anterior angles of pronotum and
apices of elytra.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 60~531t60

No. 901 447 ,H{ uUtARY OF m

mnm DEC 1 3 )9S0

HISTDRY SDPVFi'

Lie. iiNivmin If umiit

448 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

The abbreviations used for collections are as follows:

AF A. Fenyes Collection

CAS California Academy of Sciences

CNHM Chicago Natural History Museum

ESR Edward S. Ross Collection

FEB Frank E. Blaisdell Collection

FWN F. W. Nunenmacher Collection

LSS L. S. Slevin Collection

MHH Melville H. Hatch Collection

SDSC South Dakota State College

UA University of Alberta

USNM United States National Museum

UW University of Washington

VD E. C. Van Dyke Collection

A compound abbreviation, such as FWN-CNHM, indicates that
the specimen is from the F. W. Nunenmacher Collection in Chicago
Natural History Museum,

Subfamily SAPRININAE

Saprinus impressus LeConte

Saprinus impressus LeConte (J. E.), 1845, Boston Jour. Nat. Hist., 5: 74,
pi. 5, fig. 10 — Georgia (?Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Saprinus piceus LeConte (J. E.), loc. cit., p. 73, pi. 5, fig. 8 — without locality
(Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Saprinus infaustus LeConte (J. E.), 1852, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia,
6: 40 (nomen novum for piceus LeConte, not Paykull, 1811).

In the LeConte collection is a specimen with a color label for
"Southern States" that clearly is LeConte's Saprinus impressus and
probably is the type of that species. ^

Another specimen in the LeConte collection carries a determina-
tion label, "Saprinus infaustus LeConte"; a second label, "piceus
LeConte nee Payk."; and a color label for "Middle States." This
specimen is somewhat smaller and more coarsely punctate on the
elytra than is usual for impressus, but I believe it to be that species.
It is probably the type of J. E. LeConte's Saprinus piceus. LeConte
described piceus without giving a precise locality, merely "Habitat
ad oras maris."

I tentatively refer the following specimens from the Pacific North-
west to .S^. impressus:

1 Most of the types of the North American Histeridae described by John Eaton
LeConte seem to be present but unmarked in the collection of his son, John L.
LeConte. However, in 1951 I found his type of Onthophilus nodatus, as well as the
types of most of his exotic Histeridae (LeConte, 1860) in the Marseul collection
in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

Na t. f^ . si. 5u^ ye-v'

WENZEL: HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 449

British Columbia: Trail, 1 <f, June 31, 1931, H. Fowler (CNHM).
Washington: Republic, 4 cT, 2 9, August 6, 1931, Sanderson (CNHM).

At hand are many other specimens (CNHM) from localities
throughout California and from southwestern and southeastern
United States. Males from western United States differ slightly
from males from Florida in the structure and chaetotaxy of the
eighth sternum, and they may represent a distinct species. Because
I have not yet seen and studied the terminalia of males from inter-
mediate localities, I am unwilling at this time to regard the western
population as a separate species.

Saprinus cribrum Casey {=Saprinus carri Hatch), new synonymy.
Figures 76, B; 77, A, D, F; 78.

Saprinus cribrum Casey, 1893, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 7: 568 — Cheyenne,
Wyoming (No. 38532, United States National Museum).

Saprinus carri Hatch, 1926, Can. Ent., 58: 272 — Medicine Hat, Alberta
(Canadian National Collection, Ottawa).

Hatch separated his Saprinus carri from S. cribrum Casey be-
cause of a difference in the extent of the sutural stria. In the type
of carri this stria is complete basally and united with the fourth
dorsal; in the type of cribrum it is obsolete basally.

I have examined a series of 32 topotypes of carri, collected by
F. S. and J. Carr, and have compared several of them with the types
of both cribrum and carri. Aside from the character of the sutural
stria, they agree well with both types. In 9 topotypes of carri, the
sutural stria is obsolete basally, as in the type of cribrum. In the
other topotypes this stria is complete, as in carri. In a series of
about 34 other specimens that I have seen, 7 have the sutural stria
obsolete basally. Similar variation occurs in the closely related
Saprinus malkini, new species. In one male of cribrum from Helena,
Montana, the fourth dorsal stria is absent except for a basal arc that
is united with the sutural stria.

To my knowledge the type localities of S. cribrum and its syno-
nym S. carri are the only records previously published for this species.
I have examined specimens from the following localities:

British Columbia: Edgewater, July 11, 1919, F. S. Carr (AU); Kamloops,
June 1, 1933 (CAS); Osoyoos, April 24, 1925, Miss Webb (CAS); Trinity Valley,
June 5, 1929, J. R. Howell (CAS).

Alberta: Calgary, May 25, 1924, O. Bryant (UA); Cypress Hills, June 4,
1932, F. S. Carr; Lethbridge, March, 1928, F. S. Carr (UA); Medicine Hat,
April 23, 1923 (CNC), type of carri, and 32 specimens April 16-June 16, 1923-34,

450 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

F. S. and J. Carr (CAS, CNHM, UA, USNM); Tilley, July 12, 1932 (UA), July 15,
1934 (CAS), J. Carr.

Washington: Dry Falls, Grand Coulee (Grant Co.), May 13, 1950, M. H.
Hatch (MHH-UW); Vantage, May 9, 1953, Melville H. Hatch (MHH-UW).

Oregon: Juniper Lake, May 25, 1930 (MHH-UW),

Idaho: Berger (Twin Falls Co.), April 18, 1935, May 23, 1935 (USNM);
Lava Hot Springs (Brannock Co.), Lucile Maughan (CAS).

Montana: "Assinb'ne," May 10, Hubbard and Schwarz (USNM); Bozeman
(Gallatin Co.), June 11 (CNHM); Gallatin Co., May 4 (CNHM); Havre (Hill
Co.), June 10-11, Wickham (USNM); Helena (Lewis and Clark Co.), April 27,
Hubbard and Schwarz (USNM),

South Dakota: Belle Fourche, "Trap. 1, N," July 6, 1941, N. P. Larson
(SDSC); Eureka, April 18, 1939, Lynn K. Brunn (SDSC).

Wyoming: Cheyenne (Laramie Co.), type of cribrum.

Colorado: Florissant (Teller Co.), May 28, 1914 (CAS).

Arizona: Flagstaff (Coconino Co.), Fenyes (CAS).

I have found the following new species variously identified in
collections as Saprinus carri Hatch, S. crihrum Casey^ S. insertus
LeConte, or Saprinus "n. sp."

Saprinus malkini, new species. Figures 76, A; 77, C, E; 78.

A densely punctate species, belonging to group VI (sensu Horn,
1873) ; pronotum and elytra unusually evenly punctate throughout.
Closely related to S. cribrum Casey and differing from that species
as follows : punctures of inter-strial intervals on basal half essentially
round and separated, though dense (usually somewhat elongated and
subconfluent in cribrum) ; metasternal disk less distinctly punctulate;
inner subhumeral stria long, extending from basal third or middle to
apical fourth (absent or represented by only a short dash just beyond
middle in cribrum) ; lateral metasternal stria (fig. 76, A) extending to
anterior margin of hind coxa (abbreviated without reaching coxa in
cribrum as in fig. 76, B) ; meso-postcoxal stria (fig. 76, A) arcuate, ex-
tending obliquely posteriorly and outwardly, away from posterior
margin of mesocoxal cavity, and then abbreviated or only slightly
recurved anteriorly (complete, parallel to posterior margin of meso-
coxal cavity and extending to metasternal-mesepimeral suture in
cribrum as shown in fig. 76, B) ; aedeagus and tenth tergum differing
as shown in figure 77.

This species also resembles S. insertus LeConte, and especially
the variant obtectus LeConte (=opacellus Casey) in which the coarser
elytral punctures may extend to the base in the intervals between

WENZEL: HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 451

striae 1^ and nearly to the base in the sutural interspace. It can
be readily separated from this species, however, by the aedeagus,
which is dilated at the apex (fig. 77, F) in both malkini and cribrum
(not dilated in insertus, fig. 77, G), and by the uniform extension of

Fig. 76. Elevated metasternal sides and pleurites (X 40). A, Saprinus
malkini, n. sp., paratype (Vantage, Washington); B, Saprinus cribrum Casey
(Medicine Hat, Alberta). mpcs= meso-postcoxal stria; ims= lateral metasternal
stria.

the coarser punctures to the base in the sutural interval (fine punc-
tures present on the basal fourth or third in the sutural interval in
insertus). In S. insertus var. micropunctatus McGrath and Hatch
(1941, p. 60) there are only very minute scattered punctules in the
sutural interval on a little less than basal half, and only a few scat-
tered punctules in the intervals between striae 1-4 on basal third.

Description. — Form oblong-oval, moderately convex. Color black, shining.
Upper surface densely, moderately and rather uniformly punctate throughout
(punctures rarely separated by as much as their diameters), except as follows:
(I) the pronotal punctures denser and subconfluent toward the sides and anteri-
orly, distinctly smaller and more elongate along the side margins, sparsest at the
middle of the pronotum where they are separated by about one-half their diam-
eters; (2) the elytral punctures in the scutellar region along the sutural stria, or
in intervals 1-4, may be separated by about their diameters, while they are very
fine and distinctly sparser along the flanks beyond the first dorsal stria and apically
they tend to be more dense and elongate, sometimes subconfluent.

Head very finely and derisely punctate, punctation on epistoma subrugose.

452

FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

Marginal pronotal stria poorly impressed behind the head, appearing to be
abbreviated behind the eyes on each side, though the margin itself is distinctly
and finely beaded.

Marginal epipleural stria fine, sometimes indistinct at the middle. Marginal
elytral stria stronger, subcariniform, complete, extending around the outer apical

Fig. 77. A-C, Tenth abdominal tergum (X 90): A, Saprinus cribrum Casey
(Gallatin County, Montana); B, S. insertus LeConte (White Mountains, Arizona);
C, S. malkini, n. sp., paratype (Vantage, Washington). D, E, Aedeagus, lateral
view (X 40): D, S. cribrum (Gallatin County, Montana); E, S. malkini, paratype
(Vantage, Washington). F, G, Tip of aedeagus, dorsal view ( X 90): F, S. cribrum
(Medicine Hat, Alberta); G, S. insertus (St. Helena, California).

angle of the elytron and across the apex for about half the distance to the suture.
External subhumeral stria short, close to and subparallel to the marginal elytral
stria and confluent with it anteriorly. Inner subhumeral stria well developed,
closely punctate, usually present from about the basal third to the apical sixth,
sometimes beginning near the middle. Oblique humeral indicated by a feeble,
oblique, narrowly and densely punctate impression, the interval between it and the
first dorsal stria more coarsely and densely punctate.

Propygidium very densely and rather finely punctate, excepting a more
sparsely punctate, distinctly smoother area adjacent to the anterior margin.
Pygidium densely, subcribrately punctate, the punctures very gradually finer and
slightly sparser at apex in the male, scarcely finer at apex than at base, cribrate
apically in the female.

Prosternum narrowly saddle-shaped, densely and very finely punctate; foveae
distinct, transversely oval, of moderate size for the group, not united by a stria or
sulcus across apex. Carinal and lateral striae complete.

Marginal mesosternal stria complete. Meso-metasternal stria strongly cre-
nated by coarse punctures. Meso-postcoxal stria (fig. 76, A) arcuate, extending

f

WENZEL: HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 453

obliquely posteriorly for about one-third the distance between the middle and hind
coxae, extending laterally or recurved for a very short distance and then abbrevi-
ated a little more than half-way between the lateral metasternal stria and the
metepisternum. Lateral metasternal stria strong, subcariniform, punctate, feebly
sinuous, extending posteriorly to about the middle of the anterior edge of the hind
coxa. Lateral stria of first abdominal sternum subcariniform, feebly oblique, com-
plete. Meta-postcoxal stria absent. Mesosternal disk rather coarsely, evenly
punctate, the punctures mostly separated by about their diameters, becoming finer
behind the meso-metasternal suture on the metasternal disk, very fine and sparse
at the middle of the disk, coarsest and densest along and medial to the lateral meta-
sternal stria and on each side of the metasternum along the apical margin, finer at
the middle of the apical margin; punctures medial and anterior to the hind coxa
of about the same size as the mesosternal punctures. First abdominal sternum
feebly and sparsely punctate medially and basally, the punctures becoming coarser
and dense laterally and apically, a submarginal row of closely placed punctures
present across the apex. Elevated sides of the first sternum densely, moderately
punctate, the punctures much coarser anteriorly. Protibiae 6-8 denticulate, meso-
and metatibiae 6-8 spinulose, all rather typical for the group.

Length, P-E 2.51-3.30 mm., P-P 3.05-3.74 mm.; width, 2.06-2.71 mm.

Holotype. — A male from Berkeley, California, collected April 5,
1930, by Howard E. Hinton. In the collection of Chicago Natural
History Museum (C. A. Ballou Collection).

Para/^pes.— California: Los Angeles Co., 1 d' (VD-CAS).
Tulare Co., 1 9, June 12, 1939, F. W. Nunenmacher (FWN-
CNHM). Potwisha, Sequoia National Park (Tulare Co.), 2,000-
5,000 ft. alt., 2 9, May 20, 1930 (VD-CAS). Lewis Creek, San
Benito Co., 1 cT, May, 1907 (FEB-CAS). Carmel (Monterey Co.),
1 cf^. May 27, 1922, L. S. Slevin (LSS-CAS). Bass Lake (= Crane
Valley Lake, Madera Co.), 1 d^, July 1, 1928, R. S. Wagner (ESR-
CAS). 10 mi. N. of Yosemite (Tuolumne Co.), 7,000 ft. alt, 1 9,
July 21, 1940, H. P. Chandler (CAS). Pine Ridge (Santa Clara Co.),
1 cf", May 15, 1932, R. S. Wagner (ESR-CAS). Livermore Mts.
(?Alameda Co.), 1 d^, 1 9 , April 22, 1933, E. J. Blum (ESR-CAS).
Oakland (Alameda Co.), 1 cT, July 1, 1934; 1 sex undet.. May, 1936,
E. S. Ross (ESR-CAS); 2 cf , April 26, 1908 (VD-CAS). San Fran-
cisco (San Francisco Co.), 1 cT, April, 1946, "under stone," D. Guiliani
(ESR-CAS). Marin Co., 1 9 , June 11, 1905, F. W. Nunenmacher
(ESR-CAS). Murphys, Calaveras Co., 2,500 ft. alt., 1 9, May 6,
1937, F. E. Blaisdell (CAS); 1 cT, June 22, 1926, J. F. Lamiman
(ESR-CAS). Licking Fork, Mokelumne River (?Calaveras Co.),
2,900-3,100 ft. alt., 2 d^, June, Blaisdell-Letcher (FEB-CAS).
Mokelumne Hill (Calaveras Co.), 1 9, July 18, 1910 (FEB-CAS).
Eldorado Co., 3,000-4,000 ft. alt., 1 sex undet. (VD-CAS). Chal-
lenge, Yuba Co., 1 9, July 18, 1928, R. S. Wagner (ESR-CAS).

454 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

Yorkville, Mendocino Co., 1 &, April 24, 1928 (ESR-CAS). Men-
docino Co., 1 9, July 20 (ESR-CAS). Meadows Valley, Plumas
Co., 3,500-4,000 ft. alt., 1 9 , June 6, 1924, W. H. Nelson (ESR-
CAS). Plumas Jn. (?Plumas Co.), 1 9, June 5, 1926 (AF-CAS).
Green Point, Humboldt Co., 1 9 , June 12, 1916 (FEB-CAS).

Oregon: Talent (Jackson Co.), 1 cf, June 6, 1939, F. W. Nunen-
macher (FWN-CNHM). Dalles (Wasco Co.), 1 sex undet.. May 15,
1 sex undet., without date, Hubbard and Schwarz (USNM).

Washington: Walla Walla (Walla Walla Co.), 1 cf , April 22,
1925, "flying," M. C. Lane (MHH-UW). Palouse Falls (Franklin
Co.), 1 9, May 14, 1922, M. C. Lane (MHH-UW). Dry Falls,
Grand Coulee (Grant Co.), 1 &, May 6, 1951, M. H. Hatch (MHH-
UW). Moses Lake (Grant Co.), 1 c^, May 30, 1953, M. H. Hatch
(MHH-UW). Vantage, 5 d^, 5 9, May 9, 1953, M. H. Hatch
(MHH-UW).

Paratypes to be deposited in the collections of Chicago Natural
History Museum; University of Washington (Hatch Collection);
the California Academy of Sciences; the United States National
Museum; the Museum of Comparative Zoology; the American Mu-
seum of Natural History; the Canadian National Collection at
Ottawa; the British Museum (Natural History); the Museum
National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Mons. Jean Th^rond (Nimes,
France); and the Zoologisches Museum, Humboldt- Universitat zu
Berlin.

Remarks. — Saprinus malkini and S. crihrum are largely allopatric.
Their distributions (fig. 78) and close relationships suggest that they
were derived by the splitting of a single species. If this is true, then
whatever barrier or barriers originally served to segregate the an-
cestral species into eastern and western populations are no longer
completely effective and a mingling of the two occurs, at least in the
north. Both species have been collected in Washington at Dry Falls,
Grand Coulee, and at Vantage by Professor Hatch. No specimens
are known to me that would indicate that the two species hybridize.
Unfortunately nothing is known of the ecology of either species.

Subfamily DENDROPHILINAE
Bacanius hatchi, new species. Figure 79, A.

Bacanius tantillus, McGrath and Hatch, 1941, Univ. Washington Pub. Biol.,
10: 57, pi. 10, fig. 3 (not LeConte, 1853).

Rather strongly convex, elongate-oval, the upper surface punc-
tate throughout; antescutellar stria absent; outer subhumeral stria

Fig. 78. Map showing distribution of Saprintis malkini, n. sp., and .S. cribrum
Casey.

455

456 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

basal, the inner subhumeral absent; first dorsal stria apical; elytral
sutural stria present apically but poorly impressed, broken up; cen-
tral area of metasternum minutely punctate; a fine median carina at
apex of metasternum; a few apical elytral punctures coalesced to
form feeble sulci.

Bacanius hatchi differs from B. tantillus (from eastern United
States) as follows : in hatchi the metasternum has a fine median apical
carina (lacking in tantillus) ; the metasternal disk is much more finely
punctate in a broad median area; the mesostemum is more finely punc-
tate (coarsely punctate in tantillus) ; and the outer subhumeral stria
is absent apically (distinct apically in tantillus but confused with
punctures toward the middle). B. globulinus Casey, like hatchi, has
an apical metasternal carina. In globulinus the entire metasternal
disk is coarsely punctate, though the coarse punctures are smaller at
the middle, and an inner subhumeral elytral stria is present apically.

Description. — Form somewhat elongate-oval, rather strongly convex. Color
dark reddish-brown, shining. Head sparsely, very finely punctate. Frontal suture
visible only under certain lighting as a dark line beneath the surface of the in-
tegument.

Pronotum moderately coarsely punctate in a broad antescutellar area, on
about the basal third, the punctures separated by their diameters or slightly more,
the punctures becoming progressively finer and somewhat sparser apically and
laterally, minute along the lateral margin. Marginal stria fine, complete, finely
and sparsely punctate, but not crenulate, along the anterior margin.

Elytra rather coarsely, deeply punctate on a little more than the basal half,
from the suture to the finely, sparsely punctate flanks. A few fine punctures are
present along the suture and near the scutellum; the coarsest punctures of the
elytra are separated by about their diameters or slightly more, and are coarser than
the coarsest pronotal punctures. On the apical two-fifths the punctures become
noticeably finer, sparser and shallower; some of the punctures on the apical fourth
coalesce to form a few longitudinal strioles or sulci, the punctures minute at the
extreme apex. In the holotype, a few longitudinal strioles are present on each side
near the scutellum. The marginal epipleural stria is complete, subcariniform,
rather distantly removed from the margin apically, especially at the mid-length
of the fossette where it is equidistant from the epipleural margin and the upper
edge of the fossette. Outer subhumeral stria present on about the basal half, its
apex curved upwardly, with a row of coarse punctures along the upper edge. Inner
subhumeral absent. First dorsal stria strongly impressed, subcariniform, present
on slightly more than the apical half, closely punctate, continued around the outer
apical elytral angle, then abbreviated. Fossette with a few indistinct oblique stri-
oles. Sutural stria present apically, not well defined.

Pygidium rather densely punctate, the punctures of moderate size, similar to
those at the middle of the pronotum, separated by about their diameters or slightly
less, those at the apex minute.

Prosternal keel almost square, punctulate, the striae parallel, punctate. Pro-
sternal lobe strongly, moderately, sparsely punctate. Mesostemum moderately,

WENZEL: HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 457

rather sparsely punctate, the punctures becoming abruptly finer and sparser medi-
ally beyond the meso-metasternal suture, while laterally on the disk the punctures
are coarse, as they are also in a transverse band across the apex. A fine median
longitudinal carina present on the apical fifth of the metasternum. Elevated meta-
sternal sides very coarsely punctate, the punctures separated by their diameters or
slightly less. Lateral metasternal stria complete, subcariniform, recurving to the
angle formed by the metasternal and mesepimeral-metepisternal sutures. Meso-
postcoxal stria strongly hamate at tip. Meso-postcoxal plaque feebly rugulose,
slightly more sparsely punctate than the elevated sides behind the plaque. Mese-
pimeron longitudinally divided by a strongly arcuate stria, the inner area micro-
rugulose, the outer coarsely punctate.

Intercoxal disk of first abdominal sternum less coarsely punctate than the ad-
jacent apex of the metasternal disk, the punctures becoming much finer at the
middle, with the exception of a row of coarse punctures along the basal margin.
Lateral stria strongly subcariniform, extending obliquely inward to the apical mar-
gin, bending and continuing laterally along the apical margin to the lateral margin,
where it bends and then continues anteriorly nearly to the anterior margin.

Length 1.03-1.22 mm. (holotype), width 0.77-0.80 mm. (holotype).

Holotype. — A female from Seattle, Washington. In the Hatch
collection of the University of Washington.

Paratypes. — A female, same data as the type. A male and two
females from Baring (King Co.), Washington, July (A. Fenyes Col-
lection). In the collections of Chicago Natural History Museum
and the California Academy of Sciences.

Remarks. — As indicated above, this is the species recorded as
Bacanius tantillus by McGrath and Hatch, and the holotype is the
specimen figured by them.

Subfamily HISTERINAE

Margarinotus fractifrons (Casey) (= Hister planifrons Lewis, H.
fidelis Casey), new synonymy.

Hister fractifrons Casey, 1893, Ann. N, Y. Acad. Sci., 7: 543, 541 (key) — Cali-
fornia, Lake Tahoe (No. 38415, United States National Museum); 1916,
Mem. Coleop., 7: 289.

Margarinotus fractifrons, Wenzel, 1944, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser., 28:
126.

Hister planifrons Lewis, 1908, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8), 2: 149 — Vancouver
Island (British Museum [Natural History]); Casey, 1916, Mem. Coleop.,
7: 289.

Hister fidelis Casey, 1916, Mem. Coleop., 7: 289— Oregon (No. 38413, United
States National Museum); McGrath and Hatch, 1941, Univ. Washington
Pub. Biol., 10: 70, pi. 17, fig. 43.

In the type of fractifrons, the frontal stria of the head is narrowly
interrupted. When Casey described it, he remarked that he had

458 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

seen a specimen — collected by Wickham on Vancouver Island — in
which the frontal stria was more widely interrupted. Wickham also
sent a Vancouver specimen — one in which the frontal stria was com-
pletely absent — to Mr. George Lewis. Lewis named it planifrons.

Subsequently, Casey described as fidelis an Oregon specimen in
which the frontal stria was narrowly interrupted as in fractifrons,
but which presumably differed from it in lacking apical elytral punc-
tulation. The distinctness of this punctulation varies in fractifrons,
and fidelis cannot be separated on this basis.

The frontal stria is very unstable in fractifrons. In the 32 speci-
mens that I have examined from the Pacific Northwest, the frontal
stria varies as follows: Complete, 1; narrowly interrqpted on each
side, 2; narrowly interrupted at middle, 8; narrowly interrupted on
each side and at middle, 15; represented only by a short arc on one
side, 4; absent, 2.

I have examined the aedeagi of the type and of several dozens
of males of fractifrons from northern California and the Pacific
Northwest, and I have been unable to detect any significant differ-
ences between them.

However, many specimens from California exhibit distinctive dif-
ferences in tibial structures and apparently in size. It seems likely
that population differences will be demonstrated for these characters,
but there is no evidence at this time to indicate that separate names
should be applied to populations exhibiting these differences. M.
fractifrons is very closely related to the eastern M. interruptus (Beau-
vois) and to M. mormon (Casey). These species will be treated in
detail in a monograph being prepared on the genus Margarinotus.

Margarinotus pluto (Casey) (= H. interruptus, abb. albertensis
Hatch, carri Hatch; Hister interruptus, McGrath and Hatch,
not Beauvois), new synonymy,

Hister pluto Casey, 1893, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 7: 542— Oregon (No. 38410,
United States National Museum).

Margarinotus pluto, Wenzel, 1944, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser,, 28: 126.

Hister interruptus, ab. albertensis Hatch, 1926, Can. Ent., 58: 275 — Alberta,
Medicine Hat (No. 2428, Canadian National Collection); Wenzel, 1939,
Ohio Jour. Sci., 39: 12.

Hister interruptus, ab. carri Hatch, loc. cit., p. 276 — Alberta, Medicine Hat
(No. 2429, Canadian National Collection); Wenzel, loc. cit.

Hister interruptus, McGrath and Hatch, 1941, Univ. Washington Pub. Biol.,
10: 70, not Beauvois, 1805.

WENZEL; HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 459

In 1938, following Prof. Hatch, I mistakenly regarded albertensis
and carri as variants of interruptus. Examination of the types
shows them to be specimens of pluto, as are the specimens upon
which McGrath and Hatch (1941) based their Washington records
of Hister interruptus. The last named species does not occur in the
Pacific Northwest, but is replaced there by the very closely related
M. fractifrons (Casey) .

Margarinotus umbrosus (Casey) (= Hister umhratilis Casey; H.
umbilicatus, McGrath and Hatch, 1941, not Casey), new sy-
nonymy.

Hister foedatus, Horn, 1873, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc, 13: 286, in part.

Hister umbrosus Casey, 1893, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 7: 545 (key), 547 — Oregon

(No. 38423, United States National Museum); 1916, Mem. Coleop., 7: 218.
Margarinotus umbrosus Casey, 1916, Mem. Coleop., 7: 217 — California (No.

38420, United States National Museum).
Hister umbratilis Casey, 1916, Mem. Coleop., 7: 217— California (No. 38420,

United States National Museum).
Margarinotus umbratilis, Wenzel, loc. cit.
Hister umbilicatus, McGrath and Hatch, 1941, Univ. Washington Pub. Biol.,

10: 70, pi. 17, fig. 44, not Casey, 1893.

Although Margarinotus umbilicatus (Casey) may occur in south-
ern Oregon, I have not yet seen specimens from the Pacific North-
west. The species recorded from Washington by McGrath and
Hatch is, as indicated above, M. umbrosus.

Margarinotus fenderi, new species. Figure 79, B-E.

Hister pluto McGrath and Hatch, 1941, Univ. Washington Pub. Biol., 10: 69,
pi. 17, fig. 42, not Casey, 1893.

A small subparallel species; two lateral pronotal striae complete;
pronotal sides and anterior margin broadly and strongly punctate;
four dorsal striae complete, the fifth abbreviated at basal half, the
sutural abbreviated on basal fourth or third, none of the striae with
basal appendices or fossettes; epipleura essentially smooth and al-
most completely flat; pygidia coarsely, umbilicately punctate; pro-
sternal striae well developed; lateral metasternal stria terminating
posteriorly without turning laterally, its lateral arm represented by
a short oblique line in front of metacoxa. Protibiae 4-6 denticulate,
the two apical teeth larger than the others.

M. fenderi is closely related only to an undescribed species col-
lected from a nest of Thomomys in California. Both species show

460 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

relationships with Margarinotus boleti (Lewis), a fungus-dwelling spe-
cies from Japan, Formosa, and northern India. Among the described
North American species of Margarinotus, M. fenderi most closely
resembles remotus, a larger species which possesses only a single lat-
eral pronotal stria and an entirely different type of aedeagus. The
pygidial punctures in fenderi resemble those of umhilicatus (Casey)
but are distinctly sparser. M. umhilicatus is oblong-oval, has an
abbreviated outer pronotal stria, has only rudimentary carinal pro-
sternal striae, if any, and possesses dorsal spines at the apex of the
aedeagus.

Description. — Form elongate, oblong, subparallel, moderately convex, dis-
tinctly and rather broadly impressed along elytral suture. Surface above with
fine, needle-like, irregular scratches, these especially well defined and finer and
denser on head and pronotum. Head sparsely but distinctly and finely punctu-
late, the punctures more distinct immediately behind the frontal stria, which is
strong, complete, and feebly, inwardly arcuate at middle.

Pronotal sides feebly arcuate, subparallel on basal half, thence more strongly
arcuate and converging to apical angles. Marginal stria broadly interrupted be-
hind head; typically, extending basally to middle or a little beyond, sometimes
represented by a short isolated line nearer base; complete in one para type, in two
others extending to basal fourth or third, in another abbreviated at middle and
represented basally by a long stria which overlaps the apical portion. Both outer
and inner lateral pronotal striae present and complete, the outer feebly outwardly
arcuate and rather close to the margin, often a little abbreviated either apically or
basally or both, finely crenated by punctures; inner pronotal stria feebly, inwardly
arcuate, more strongly impressed than the outer (both subcariniform; that is, with
only one edge, the outer, well defined); apically, either lateral stria may be con-
fused with punctures, and either, or both, may be united with apical stria (with
about equal frequency in type series). Disk very strongly and closely punctate
anteriorly and along the sides within inner lateral stria and especially within an-
terior angles. Interval between lateral striae with a few finer, but strong, scattered
punctures; disk elsewhere sparsely punctulate, rather inconspicuously so in a broad,
deep, antescutellar area. Basal margin with a narrow band of strong, fine punc-
tures. Antescutellar impression short, linear.

Dorsal elytral striae strongly impressed, feebly arcuate and distinctly but not
strongly crenated, the first and third striae usually somewhat more coarsely im-
pressed at base and with a coarse basal puncture or fovea; fifth dorsal usually
extending to middle or slightly beyond, extending to basal third in one paratype,
present on only apical two-fifths in another. Sutural stria usually extending to
basal third or fourth, slightly beyond middle in holotype. Outer subhumeral stria
complete (slightly abbreviated at base in type), only feebly arcuate basally. Epi-
pleural fossette flat for the greater part of its length (concave for only a short dis-
tance at mid-length of elytra), with a single strong, complete, crenated marginal
elytral stria, a row of strong fine punctures present along dorsal edge of stria; mar-
ginal epipleural stria sometimes feebly indicated at level of fossette concavity.

Propygidium and pygidium very coarsely and densely, umbilicately punctate,
punctures fine along basal margin of propygidium. Pygidium abruptly more finely

Fig. 79. A, Bacanius hatchi, n. sp. (holotype), under side (X 60). B-E,
Margarinolus fenderi, n. sp., female paratype (Neotsu, Oregon): B, head and
pronotum ( X 20) ; C, pygidia (X 17) ; D, E, median lobe and armature of aedeagus,
holotype (X 105), dorsal and lateral views, respectively.

461

462 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY, VOLUME 39

and sparsely punctate just before apex, the apices sparsely punctulate. Pygidium
relatively less coarsely and somewhat more sparsely punctate in the male than in
the female (especially at middle), the punctation remarkably uniform across
width of pygidium in the female.

Prosternal keel rather narrow, striate, the striae divergent apically and basally,
usually abbreviated posteriorly at basal fifth or sixth, rarely extending nearly to
basal margin. Lobe with a strong complete marginal stria, both lobe and keel
punctulate, the punctures becoming denser and strong, but not coarse, laterally.
Mesosternum distinctly emarginate, the marginal stria complete, meso-metasternal
suture strongly impressed, smoothly striiform, continuous on each side with the
lateral metasternal stria which is oblique, subcariniform, crenated, and extends to
near hind coxa but terminates without recurving, narrowly separated apicallj' from
a short, transverse, feebly oblique stria that is present in front of outer half of hind
coxa and represents lateral arm of lateral metasternal stria. Meso-hietasternal
disk sparsely punctulate, the punctulation stronger toward the lateral metasternal
stria. Meso-postcoxal stria extremely variable, sometimes either absent or com-
plete, or extending only about halfway to metasternal-mesepimeral suture. Oblique
lateral stria of first abdominal sternum complete. Intercoxal disk punctulate,
more distinctly so laterally along stria, especially apically where the punctures
become more numerous, coarser, and umbilicate; apical margin of first sternum
with a row of rather fine umbilicate punctures. Pleurites and elevated sides of
metasternum and first sternum coarsely umbilicately punctate. Metepimeron
without strioles.

Outer margin of protibiae widest at apex, with from 4-5 denticles, the fourth
sometimes small, the fifth and sixth minute, the first and second of about equal size
and stronger than the others. Apical margin truncated, with 3 denticles, the outer
largest and very close to the apical tooth of the outer margin. Outer margins of
middle and posterior tibiae feebly sinuate before apex, biseriately spinulose and
with a marginal row of setae. Apical margin fringed with spinules, none of these
strong.

Length, P-E, & 3.15-4.05 mm., ? 4.12-4.64 mm.; P-P, cf 3.90-4.56 mm.,
9 4.65-5.47 mm. Width, <? 2.38-2.71 mm., 9 2.64-3.12 mm.

Holotype. — A male from Everett (Snohomish County), Washing-
ton, collected July 12, by H. F. Wickham. In the collection of
Chicago Natural History Museum (from the F. J. Psota collection) .

Paratypes. — Washington: Seattle, a male, June 1, 1911; a fe-
male, May 2, 1912 (specimen figured by McGrath and Hatch) ; a
female, August 1, 1935, "D. B." Swamp Creek, King County, a fe-
male. May 24, 1934, J. L. Wilson. King County, a female, April 12,
1930, "6.F.E." Oregon: Neotsu (Lincoln County), a male and two
females, April 23, 1939. Manzanita (Tillamook County), a male,
April 21, 1940.

Paratypes deposited in the Hatch Collection of the University of
Washington, Chicago Natural History Museum, California Academy
of Sciences, United States National Museum, Canadian National
Collection at Ottawa, and the British Museum (Natural History).

WENZEL: HISTERID BEETLES FROM PACIFIC NORTHWEST 463

Remarks. — There are no ecological data with any of the speci-
mens; hence there is no clue as to the habits of M. fenderi. As
pointed out above, the only species to which it is closely related is
from a nest of a pocket gopher, Thomomys monticola. It is possible
that fenderi, too, may be a nest inhabitant.

REFERENCES

Casey, Thomas L.

1893. Coleopterological notices, V. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 7: 281-606, 1 pi.

(Histeridae, pp. 533-578).
1916. Some random studies among the Clavicornia. Mem. Coleop., 7: 35-283,

285-292 (Addenda) (Histeridae, pp. 201-283, 285-292).

Hatch, Melville H.

1926. New and noteworthy Histeridae from Alberta (Coleoptera). Can. Ent.,
58: 272-276.

Horn, George H.

1873. Synopsis of the Histeridae of the United States. Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc,
13: 273-360, pi. V.

LeConte, John E.

1845. A monograph of the North American Histeroides. Boston Jour. Nat.
Hist., 5: 31-86, pis. 1-6.

1852. Hints towards a natural classification of the family Histrini of coleop-
terous insects. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, 6: 36-41.

1860. Description of new species of the coleopterous family Histeridae. Proc.
Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, 1859: 310-317.

LeConte, John L,

1853. Synopsis of the histeroid genus Abraeus, inhabiting the United States,
with descriptions of two nearly allied genera. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila-
delphia, 6: 287-292.

1863. New species of North American Coleoptera. Pt. I. Smiths. Misc. Coll.,
167: 1-92.

Lewis, George

1908. On new species of Histeridae and notices of others. Ann. Mag. Nat.
Hist., (8), 2: 137-160.

McGrath, Rita V., and Hatch, Melville H.

1941. The Coleoptera of Washington: Sphaeritidae and Histeridae. Univ.
Washington Pub. Biol., 10: 1-91, 49 figs, in 18 pis.

Wenzel, Rupert L.

1939. Short studies on the Histeridae (Coleop.) No. 2. Ohio Jour. Sci., 39:

10-14.
1944. On the classification of the Histeridae. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser.,

28: 51-151, text figs. 10-12, pis. 1-9.

V

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