The genus Anommatus Wesmael (Coleoptera, Teredidae) currently encompasses around 80 species (Orousset & Vincent, 2010; Slipinski, 2022). Species are minute (less than 3 millimeters) (Dajoz, 1977), endogean, lacking eyes, flightless and depigmented (Kuschel, 1979). All known species are native to Europe and around the Mediterranean basin, except A. maderensis Coiffait endemic to Madeira Island (Dajoz, 1977; Slipinski, 2022). Most species are localized and endemic except A. duodecimstriatus (P.W.J. Müller, 1821: 190) and A. diecki Reitter (Dajoz, 1977; Orousset & Vincent, 2010). Anommatus duodecimstriatus is present throughout Europe, including the British Isles, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, eastwards to Turkey and the Caucasus (Dajoz, 1977; Olberg & Olsen, 2009). It is a saproxylophagous species feeding on rotten wood and decomposed roots of plants, notably in bulb plants. They can be found in small colonies (Orousset & Vincent, 2010). This parthenogenetic species (Dajoz, 1977; Orousset & Vincent, 2010) is known to be transported with soil, more particularly with plants, facilitating its introduction outside its natural range (Cooper, 1962; Peck, 1972; Cornell & Ash, 2005; Olberg & Olsen, 2009). Only one male has ever been recorded (Nitzu, 2001) but its species identity was questioned by Orousset and Vincent (2010: 169). Anommatus duodecimstriatus has been accidentally introduced in North Africa, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa (Cape region), the Canary Islands, Madeira, St Helena and the USA (IL, NC, NY, OH, WI) (Cooper, 1962; Peck, 1972; Lawrence and Stephan, 1975; Dajoz, 1977; Kuschel, 1979; Nichols & Wheeler, 1984; Cornell & Ash, 2005; Olberg & Olsen, 2009; Orousset & Vincent, 2010). According to Olberg and Olsen (2009: 144), citing Kuschel (1979), the species is also present in Tasmania. However, this information does not appear in the latter work. Another species, A. vallombrosae Dieck, was also introduced in the USA (OH) (Nichols & Wheeler, 1984). Four specimens of Anommatus duodecimstriatus were recently collected on opposite ends of Canada, in Vancouver to the west and in Montreal to the east. These collections represent the first records of this species for this country.
By its 11-segmented antennae (subgenus Anommatus), the basal margin of each elytron with 3 to 4 distinct notches and its reborded lateral pronotal margins, Anommatus duodecimstriatus cannot be confused with any other species of this genus (Dajoz, 1977; Orousset & Vincent, 2010). The four specimens cited in this article were collected in the soil with roots: in Vancouver extracted from leaf litter in a Tullgren funnel, in Montreal at a depth of about 10 cm and extracted with a Winkler sifter followed by Berlese funnel. The Vancouver collection site, Queen Elizabeth Park, is on the high point of the city, a remediated quarry with many horticultural displays. The Montreal collection site corresponds to a disturbed grove of deciduous trees located at the base of Mont-Royal (also the high point of the city), near two cemeteries: the Mont-Royal cemetery and the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery. Two other adventive animal species were recently collected and first recorded in Canada from the same Montreal site: Bipalium adventitium Hyman (Platyhelmintida, Geoplanidae) (Justine et al., 2019) and Loricula coleoptrata (Fallén) (Heteroptera, Microphysidae) (Théry, 2022). Because terrestrial flatworms such as B. adventitium are known to be transported with potted plants (Justine et al., 2019) and females of L. coleoptrata live in leaf litter (Péricart, 1972), it is conceivable that both species could have been introduced to those cemeteries via potted plants (Théry, 2022). Similarly, the adventive shield bug Cyphostethus tristriatus (Fabricius) (Hemiptera, Acanthosomatidae) was recently recorded from Queen Elizabeth Park and is thought to have been introduced on imported garden plants (Ratzlaff & Scudder, 2018). Considering the biology of Anommatus duodecimstriatus and how the species can be transported, this hypothesis could also explain its presence at both the Vancouver and Montreal sites. Further investigation in other areas surrounding these two sites, but also elsewhere in Vancouver and Montreal, may reinforce this hypothesis.
The authors acknowledge Christian Perez (Istres, France) for his help in the bibliographic research; Colin Favret (Université de Montréal) for his advice and the use of microscopic equipment in his lab; Gheylen Daghfous (Biodôme de Montréal) for proofreading this manuscript; Maxim Larrivée and Stéphane Le Tirant (Insectarium de Montréal) for their support.
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Olberg S., Olsen K.M. 2009. The genus Anommatus Wesmael, 1835 (Coleoptera, Bothrideridae) in Norway. Norwegian Journal of Entomology, 56(2): 143-145.
Peck S.B. 1972. The eyeless European soil colydiid, Anommatus duodecimstriatus in North America (Coleoptera: Colydiidae). The Coleopterists’ Bulletin, 26: 19-20.
Péricart J. 1972. Hémiptères Anthocoridae, Cimicidae et Microphysidae de l’Ouest-Paléarctique. Faune de l’Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen 7. Paris: Masson et Cie; 402 pp.
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Fig. Dorsal habitus of Anommatus duodecimstriatus, specimen CNC480397 (scale 200 μm)
