LABRADOR: Happy Valley, near Churchill River, July 29, 2008, G.R. Pohl & D.W. Langor, at dusk, 15 m (1, MUN). NEW BRUNSWICK: Albert Co.: Mary’s Pt., August 23, 2003, August 12, 2004, C.G. Majka, ocean beach, in beach drift (4, CGMC); Charlotte Co.: Kent Island, Grand Manan archipelago, June 25, 2008, M. Steck, west beach (1, KIC); Kent Co.: Bouctouche, May 25, 2007, J.-P. Michaud, on decaying pig (1, UMNB); Westmorland Co.: Pointe-du-Chene, July 6, 1972, June-July, 1972, D.H. Murray (6, MMUE); Sackville, August 27, 1982, P. Maltais (1, CGMC). NEW- FOUNDLAND: St. Barbe, July 26, 1949, E. Palmen (1, MZHF); Piccadilly, July 7, 1949, E. Palmen (1, MZHF); Glide Lake, August 30, 1994, pitfall (1, MUN); Goulds, May 22, 1953, May 29, 1953, June 3, 1953, June 4, 1953, June 5, 1953, June 6, 1953, June 9, 1953, June 10, 1953, June 11, 1953, June 19, 1953 (52, AAFC); Goulds, June 9, 1953, R.F. Morris (1, AAFC); Kilbride, St. John’s, June 6, 1982, R.F. Morris (1, AAFC); Mount Pearl, November 10, 1995, Dave McKenzie (1, AAFC); Portugal Cove: Indian Meal Line, June 13, 1978, D. Larson (1, MUN); Portugal Cove: Indian Meal Line, May 16, 1979, May 21, 1979, July 1, 1979, July 31, 1982 (19, MUN); Portugal Cove: Indian Meal Line, July 1, 1979 (4, CFS); St John’s, July 12, 1974, July 16, 1974, R.F. Morris (2, AAFC); St John’s, October 18, 1977, D. Larson (1, MUN); St John’s, September, 1988, Biology 4150 (6, MUN); St John’s, Long Pond, May 29, 1981 (1, MUN); Bishop’s Falls, August 17, 1979, E. John (1, AAFC); South Pond near South Brook, June 27, 1980, Brennan & Larson, drift (1, MUN); Millville, Grandaddys Brook, June 16, 1979, Larson & Swales (1, MUN); 1 mi. east of Traytown, July 27, 1970, D.E. Bright (4, MUN); Burnt Cape, July 10–24, 2003, August 7–21, 2003, August 21-September 4, 2003, A.M. Hynes, shoreline, pitfall (8, MUN); Burnt Cape, July 10–24, 2003, July 24-August 7, 2003, A.M. Hynes, coastal meadow, pitfall (8, MUN); Burnt Cape, July 24-August 7, 2003, A.M. Hynes, cow parsnip patch, pitfall (7, MUN); Brunette Island, June 26–30, 1995, A.G. Raske, dense vegetation, pitfall (2, MUN). NOVA SCOTIA: Cape Breton Co.: Scatarie Island: E. Harbour, July 15, 2006, A. MacDonald, freshwater pond (2, CBU); Scatarie Island: NW Cove, August 8, 2005, A. MacDonald, beach, under wrack (1, CBU); Colchester Co.: 4 km N of Brookfield, June 23, 1995, J. Cook, mixed forest, uv light trap (1, JCC); Bible Hill, May 31, 2005, June 15–24, 2005, K.R. Aikens, pasture (3, CBU); Bible Hill, May 31, 2005, June 30, 2005, July 21, 2005, S.M. Townsend, pasture, sweeping (12, CBU); Bible Hill, May 27, 2004, D.B. McCorquodale, pasture, sweeping (1, CBU); Bible Hill, May 31, 2007, C.W. D’Orsay, pasture, sweeping (2, CBU); Masstown, June 7, 1990, T.D. Smith (1, NSNR); Cumberland Co.: Chignecto Game Sanctuary, July 30, 1988, E. Georgeson, uv light trap (1, NSMC); Oxford, August 16, 1986, August 12, 1988, E. Georgeson, uv light trap (4, NSMC); Wentworth Park, July 12, 1993, J. & T. Cook, car net (5, JCC); Westchester-Londonderry, July 20, 1992, S. & J. Peck, forest road, car net (12, JCC); Guysborough Co.: Malay Lake, 2–15 June, 1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce, FIT (1, NSMC); Trafalgar, Liscomb Sanctuary, July 19, 1992, S. & J. Peck, car net (25, JCC); Halifax Co.: Middle Musquodoboit, September 3, 1988, E. Georgeson, uv light trap (1, NSMC); Halifax, July, 1988, P.M. Hammond, 5 specimens brachypterous (8, BMNH); Pt. Pleasant Park, July 5, 1990, S. Robertson, coniferous forest, stovepipe trap (1, NSMC); West Dover, September 7, 2003, C.G. Majka, salt marsh (3, CGMC); Hants Co.: Upper Rawdon, June 25, 2008, J. Renkema, highbush blueberry field, pitfall trap (4, CGMC); Kings Co.: Kentville, August 19, 2007, D.H. Webster, compost, moldy corncobs (1, DHWC); Lunenburg Co.: Chester, June 22, 1960, B. Wright (1, NSMC); Pictou Co.: McLellan’s Brook, August 5, 1988, E. Georgeson, uv light trap (1, NSMC); Seafoam, August 11, 2008, C.G. Majka, seashore, beach drift (1, CGMC); Queens Co.: Medway River, July 13, 1993, J. & T. Cook, car net (5, JCC); Ponhook Lake nr. Greenfield, July 13, 1993, J. Cook, uv light trap (1, JCC); Kejimkujik National Park, September 26–19 October, 1994, B. Wright, hemlock stand (1, NSMC); Shelburne Co.: Clyde River Rd, July 16, 1992, S. & J. Peck, forest, car net (3, JCC); Sebim Beach, July 19, 1993, J. & T. Cook (1, JCC); Yarmouth Co.: Carleton: Perry Rd., August 22, 1992, J. & F. Cook, mixed forest, car net (2, JCC); Carleton: Perry Rd., July 18, 1993, J. & T. Cook, car net (3, JCC). PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Queens Co.: Harrington, June 14, 2004, C. Noronha, barley field, pitfall trap (1, ACPE); Harrington, June 1, 1987, L.S. Thompson, potato field (3, ACPE); Harrington, September 8, 2005, M.E.M. Smith, barley & hedgerows, sweep (1, CGMC).
We have examined the holotype of Atomaria saginata Casey 1900 deposited in the Smithsonian Institution and have found it to be identical in all respects to A. fuscata Schönherr. We therefore designate A. saginata (syn. n.) as a junior synonym of A. fuscata.
Atomaria fuscata is newly recorded in Labrador, New Brunswick, insular Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island (Figs 13, 17). Johnson et al. (2007) designated Atomaria ochracea Zimmerman, 1869 as a junior synonym of A. fuscata, and Atomaria lacustris Casey, 1900 and Atomaria pennsylvanica Casey, 1900 had previously been designated as junior synonyms of A. ochracea (by Leng 1920). Majka and Shaffer’s (2008) discussion of A. ochracea is attributable to A. fuscata.
This species has been recorded in British Columbia, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Québec, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin ( LeConte 1869; Blatchley 1910; Leng 1920; Procter 1946; Hatch 1961; Oatman et al. 1964; Bousquet 1991; Downie and Arnett 1996; Chandler 2001; Sikes 2004). In the Palaearctic region it is known throughout Europe, across Siberia to the Russian Far East, south to Tibet and northern China, and in the Middle East in Turkey and Israel ( Johnson et al. 2007). Hatch (1961) reported it as very common on herbiage and in grass clippings, compost, leaf litter, and humus. In Atlantic Canada it has been collected in mixed and coniferous forests, pastures, blueberry and potato fields, hedgerows, in coastal dunes and on ocean beaches under drift, by freshwater ponds, and in compost. Johnson (1993) reported that it, “occurs in a range of habitats – grassland, wetland, and woodland – especially in damp situations, and has been collected in litter, moss, flood refuse, cut vegetation and compost heaps.”
Description: Dorsum and venter usually dark red-brown castaneous, pronotum occasionally darker than elytra. Legs reddish-testaceous. Pronotal punctures moderately fine and dense apically, becoming progressively coarser and denser basally; pronotum widest at middle, strongly narrowing basally and apically; base with a distinct transverse impression, the middle third of the basal margin with a discernable, fine marginal bead. Elytral punctures very fine and sparse; interspaces between punctures 3.0+ times the diameter of punctures. Setae the length of the interspaces, appressed (Fig. 5). Antennae: antennomere 1 swollen, longer and wider than 2; 3 as long as or longer than 2 but more slender; 4–8 small and somewhat bead-like; antennal club distinct; antennomeres 9 and 10 quadrate, not discernibly transverse (Fig. 1.4). Body: width/length ratio, 0.47; length, 1.4–1.7 mm.