Ataenius brevis Fall 1930

Ataenius brevis Fall, 1930:98.—Cartwright, 1948:150

DESCRIPTION.—Length 3.4 to 5.1 mm; width 1.6 to 2.3 mm. Black, shining, moderately convex, short, oblong-oval, legs dark rufous. Head moderately convex; clypeal margin very finely reflexed, broadly rounded each side of wide, shallow median emargination, sides arcuate to sharply rounded, right-angled genae; surface very finely, evenly punctate, punctures separated by two diameters, sometimes weakly but perceptibly transversely wrinkled anteriorly below median convexity; occipital area with crossband of moderately coarse punctures slightly closer toward sides. Pronotum about one-fourth wider than long, sides parallel; anterior angles obtuse, hind angles broadly rounded, sides and base margined, minutely to very finely crenate, more noticeably so around posterior angles where the short marginal setae are separated usually by more than their own lengths; surface with mixed very fine and numerous irregularly placed, moderately coarse punctures, usually closer toward sides. Elytra short and convex, about one-half longer than wide, sides arcuate, humeri strongly dentate; striae strong, crenately punctate; intervals weakly convex, smooth and shining but with scattered, minute punctures, 10th interval flat or less convex than 9th interval. Mesosternum carinate between coxae. Metasternum shining, middle line strong and deep, slightly shorter than length of first two abdominal segments combined, discal area of male with very fine punctures anteriorly, moderate punctures over posterior half, generally separated by their diameters or less, similar punctures outward to scabrous area at sides, female lacking the larger punctures, metasternal triangle moderate, not sharply defined. Abdominal sterna shining, punctate throughout, fine medially to moderately coarse at sides where they are separated by one or two times their diameters; finely fluted along anterior margins, the fluting increasingly longer on each sternum posteriorly; pygidial eroded area longer in males. Anterior femora with perimarginal groove; surface narrowly smooth along anterior margin, elsewhere roughly, closely punctate with mixed fine and moderate punctures. Middle and hind femora shining, with very fine, scattered punctures separated by three or four times their diameters; posterior marginal line strong, extending about half the distance from the knee to the trochanter. Hind tibia with strong accessory spine with intervening seta between spine and spurs and a fringe group of five setae, rarely four or six; spurs fine and slender, the long spur much shorter than first segment of tarsus which is also much longer than the following three segments combined.

HOLOTYPE.—Fall Collection, Museum of Comparative Zoology, No. 24767.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—“Pennsylvania.” Dr. Fall states that the two cotypes were collected by Henry Ulke—probably in the Blue Ridge Mountains where Ulke had a summer home or camp at Pen Mar, Pennsylvania.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—160+.

DATES COLLECTED.—April 18 to September 8.

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 18).—Alabama: Franklin County (The Dismals). District of Columbia. Georgia: Billys Island (Okefenokee Swamp), Pine Mtn., Satolah. Maryland: Cove Point, S. I. Java Farm (Anne Arundel County). Massachusetts: Chicopee, Sherborn. New Hampshire: “New Hampshire,” Three Mile Island. New Jersey: Fort Lee. New York: New York City, Peekskill. North Carolina: Black Mountains, Buck Forest, Highlands, Pisgah Forest. Pennsylvania: Frazer, Pen Mar, Pocono Mts. Rhode Island: North Kingston (Boston Neck). South Carolina: CCC Camp F2 (Oconee County), Clemson, Earl’s Ford (Oconee County), Fish Hatchery (Oconee County), Mountain Rest, Pinnacle Mtn., River Falls, Sassafras Mtn. (Pickens County). Tennessee: Burrville, Citico, Venore (11 mi W). Virginia: Falls Church.