Staphylinidae of Eastern Canada and Adjacent United States Part 1

Figure 7.4.1 Platydracus praelongus (Mannerheim), pronotum. 11.16.1 P. praelongus, dorsal habitus.

11.16.2 P. praelongus, from under a board along ocean shoreline.

Platydracus praelongus is distinctive among Platydracus species for its pronotum with an uneven punctation and wide (at least as wide as five punctures) impunctate line (Fig. 7.4.1); both the head and pronotum are dull-metallic (Fig. 11.16.1).

This species occurs along the eastern coast of the United States and Mexico, north to Maine, but it may be eventually found in the extreme southern portions of Atlantic Canada. Its range in ECAS is given by Map 20. It is recorded from the state of New York for the first time based on study of 77 specimens collected until 1975.

Adjacent U.S.: NY, NH, ME

Platydracus praelongus has been collected in ECAS from February to December, with a large increase in abundance in May and smaller peak in August.

Platydracus praelongus is a seashore specialist of and is the only North American Platydracus associated with marine coastal environments. In ECAS it has been collected on beaches under debris and logs (Fig. 11.16.2), swept from dune grass, and found along the edges of salt marshes under stones and in litter.