Occurrence of species of the genus Pityophthorus Eichhoff (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in the province of Quebec, Canada

Abstract

Twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus Eichhof, 1864 include more than 300 species worldwide, with maximum diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. To date, approximately 50 species of Pityophthorus have been recorded in Canada, and these species are associated mainly with coniferous trees. Since 1981, no comprehensive study on this difficult taxonomic group has been conducted in Quebec, Canada, most likely due to their limited significance as forest pests. Based on data gathered from five years of field sampling in conifer seed orchards and compiled from various entomological collections, the distribution of Pityophthorus species in Quebec is presented. Approximately 291 new localities were recorded for the Pityophthorus species. Five species-group taxa, namely P. puberulus (LeConte, 1868), P. pulchellus pulchellus Eichhof, 1869, P. pulicarius (Zimmermann, 1868), P. nitidus Swaine, 1917, and P. cariniceps LeConte&Horn, 1876 were the most widespread. In contrast, P. consimilis LeConte, 1878, P. intextus Swaine, 1917, P. dentifrons Blackman, 1922, P. ramiperda Swaine, 1917, and P. concavus Blackman, 1928 display a notably limited distribution. In addition, the frst distribution records of P. intextus and P. biovalis Blackman, 1922 are furnished, and the subspecies P. murrayanae murrayanae Blackman, 1922 is reported from Quebec for the second time. Moreover, distribution maps are provided for all Pityophthorus species recorded in the province of Quebec. © Valentin Popa et al.