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Photo#717433
Small Creature - Micropeplus

Small Creature - Micropeplus
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
October 21, 2012
Size: ~ 3.2 mm

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Moved
Moved from ID Request.

 
Tough call
I can't see some critical characters and it appears to have a thin crust that may be obscuring the elytral punctures. My best guess is M. neotomae. I don't know if it is known that far north, so I am uncertain. Assuming the elytra are punctate as they appear, if "median carina of fourth termite strongly developed in basal half, abruptly declivous posteriorly when viewed in profile" then it might be M. neotomae. Campbell's specimen records are all from wood rat nests.

 
Thanks for your comment
Campbell provides additional distributional and habitat data for M. neotomae Campbell in The Canadian Entomologist, Volume 110, December 1978, pg. 1240. In addition to giving the location for 18 additional specimens, all in Southwestern Oregon, he states, "All previously recorded specimens were taken from nests of Neotoma." The new specimens, "... were taken from various kinds of leaf litter under oak, madrone, conifers, dogwood, salal, or chinkapin."

I believe this would expand the described habitat for this species sufficiently to make a case for my specimen found in leaf litter on the forest floor. Abbotsford would be in a similar climatic zone to Southwestern Oregon.

It seems to me that Campbell's description of the "median carina of the fourth termite" was indicative of the profound appearance of this character such as is seen on this specimen. The sketches of other species in profile (The Canadian Entomologist, Volume 100, March 1968, pg. 267) indicate a much more subdued feature.

M. neotomae certainly would be a reasonable ID for this specimen.

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