Return to Publications List ◄ Next Page►
-18- Psamathobledius Herman. This genus and Microbledius
were recently (Herman, 1972) separated from Bledius
for several very small species whose tarsi are 5-segmented, those of Bledius being 4-segmented. Herman listed 3
species. They are apparently all salt marsh inhabitants. This genus is
distinguished from Microbledius
by the presence of a lateral carina separating the pronotal disc from the
hypomera. Microbledius
Herman. The genus was created recently for a group of small species formerly
placed in Bledius. Herman (1972) placed 10 new world species in the genus. At
least M. actitus Herman is
found on a marine salt marsh. Sartallus
Sharp. The single species, S. signalis
Sharp, is a pale insect about 5-6.5 mm in length. The tarsi
are 5-segmented and the tibiae spinose. It is found in Australia where it is
associated with sandy, coastal regions. It hides under seaweed and feeds
chiefly on dead barnacles. Carpelimus
Leach. More than 300 species are known in this genus. They are small, somber
colored insects of rather uniform appearance and consequently are difficult
to study. They are found mostly at the margins of ponds and streams or
associated with decaying organic materials and are often attracted to
lights. The tibiae are without
spines. The inner apical angles of the elytra are rectangular and the middle
coxae contiguous. The eyes are coarsely faceted. Ten species have been
reported from salt marshes in various parts of the world and one
species, C. lucidus Cameron, from seaweed at
Zanzibar. Oxytelus Gravenhorst. More than 100
species have been placed in this genus. The pronotum is carinate and often
shining and the middle coxae are widely separated. The anterior tibiae are
spinose. These insects are often found in decaying organic material so it is
not surprising that four species have been reported from Great Britain from
seaweed. Subfamily ProteininaeMembers
of this small subfamily are similar to members of the Omaliinae but lack the
ocelli so characteristic of the latter. Proteinus
Latreille. Twenty three species, almost all from the North Temperate Zone,
are included in this genus. The species are often found in decaying vegetable
matter so it is not unusual that Fowler (1888) reported two species also from
decaying seaweed from the British Islands. These are small oval insects with
long elytra. Subfamily XantholininaeMembers
of this subfamily differ from all other staphylinids in the presence of a
small sclerite called the neck plate which is adjacent to the anterior margin
of the prosternum. They are linear, highly flexible insects. |