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Intertidal rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) ¹

Contents

Introduction - Genera with marine members ................................................................... 1

Systematics - Key to subfamilies ...................................................................................... 3

Synopsis of subfamilies with keys to genera ................................................................... 8

Ecology and distribution ................................................................................................... 21

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 23

References ..........................................................................................................................26

INTRODUCTION

Staphylinidae is a very large family of beetles, containing about 30,000 described species. Most members may be recognized by the very short elytra which leave most of the abdomen exposed. They superficially resemble earwigs but lack pinchers at the tip of the abdomen. About 1 % of the species are known to be confined to seashore habitats. Since habitat records are not known for the majority of staphylinids, it is not surprising if we are unaware of the marine habitat of some species. On the Pacific seashore of North America the Staphylinidae comprise a large percentage of the insect fauna, both in number of species and in number of individuals. Most of the species of that area have been named, and some of the developmental stages described, but much is still to be learned about their biology and ecology. The marine staphylinid fauna of Europe is at " least as well known as that of America; but the fauna of the rest of the world is relatively unexplored.

Staphylinids are found in a variety of habitats usually in the presence of considerable moisture, such as margins of streams, ponds and lakes, damp leaf

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1

Revised 2003 by E. F. Legner from: Moore, I. & E. F. Legner. 1976. Intertidal rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). In: "Marine Insects", L. Cheng (ed.). pp. 521-51. North- Holland Publ. Co., Amsterdam. 581 pp.