Aleocharinae

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Aleocharinae
Temporal range: Earliest Cenomanian–Holocene, 98.8–0  Ma [1]
Aleochara lanuginosa.jpg
Aleochara lanuginosa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Staphylinidae
Subfamily: Aleocharinae
Fleming, 1821
Synonyms
  • Aleocharidae Fleming, 1821 [2]
Lomechusa pubicollis lives in the nest of the ant Formica rufa. Lomechusa pubicollis.jpg
Lomechusa pubicollis lives in the nest of the ant Formica rufa .

The Aleocharinae are one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetles, containing over 12,000 species. Previously subject to large-scale debate whether the subfamily deserved the familial status, it is now considered one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetles. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

The Aleocharinae are generally small to minute beetles, as they can reach a maximum length of about 10 mm (0.4 in), but usually they are 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long, with a few species of 1 mm (0.04 in), among the smallest of beetles. The body is usually slender, often densely and finely punctured; the head is more or less round and the color may be light or dark brown, reddish-brown, or black, sometimes with contrasting colors of red, yellow, and black. [4]

Anatomy

Because of the size of the subfamily, their anatomy is extremely variable. However, a few key features are shared by all rove beetles. All members have antennae with 10 or 11 segments. The antennal insertion is posterior to a line drawn between the anterior margins of the eyes or anterior to a line drawn between the anterior margins of the eyes. The tarsal segments vary from 2-2-2 to 4-5-5.

Distribution and habitat

Rove beetles belonging to this subfamily are distributed throughout the world in almost all terrestrial habitats. They are commonly predators in soil communities and leaf litter, frequently inquilines in ant and termite nests or associated with mushrooms and fungi. [4]

Ecology

This subfamily is common on all terrestrial habitats. It is collected through several methods, including the use of UV light, emergence chambers, sifting, using Berlese organic material, and pitfall traps.

The biology of the subfamily is complex. Many species are highly specialized, thus are prone to extinction. Free-living, parasitic, herbivorous, carnivorous, fungivorous, flying, walking, running, swimming, social, and solitary forms are known, but their life histories are almost unknown at the species level.

Systematics

This subfamily is one of the largest rove beetle subfamilies, containing 52 tribes, over 1000 genera, and over 12000 described species (about 1385 known from North America). This subfamily is a taxonomically difficult groups of beetles. [4]

Tribes and selected genera

Below is a list of all the tribes and some selected genera. [4] [5]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staphylinoidea</span> Superfamily of beetles

Staphylinoidea is a superfamily of beetles. It is a very large and diverse group with worldwide distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxytelinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Oxytelinae are a subfamily of the Staphylinidae, rove beetles. There are about 20 genera and at least 320 described species in Oxytelinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lomechusini</span> Tribe of beetles

Lomechusini is a tribe of rove beetles. It is generally small, but includes some fairly large genera such as Zyras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homalotini</span> Tribe of beetles

Homalotini is a tribe of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are at least 30 genera and 200 described species in Homalotini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athetini</span> Tribe of beetles

Athetini is a tribe of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are at least 50 genera and 430 described species in Athetini.

<i>Mycetoporus</i> Genus of beetles

Mycetoporus is a genus of crab-like rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are at least 70 described species in Mycetoporus.

<i>Omalium</i> Genus of beetles

Omalium is a genus of ocellate rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are at least 70 described species in Omalium.

<i>Oxytelus</i> Genus of beetles

Oxytelus is a genus of spiny-legged rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are more than 50 described species in Oxytelus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxytelini</span> Tribe of beetles

Oxytelini is a tribe of spiny-legged rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are about 11 genera and at least 20 described species in Oxytelini.

Falagria is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are more than 30 described species in Falagria.

<i>Anotylus</i> Genus of beetles

Anotylus is a genus of spiny-legged rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are more than 90 described species in Anotylus.

<i>Dinaraea</i> Genus of beetles

Dinaraea is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are about 16 described species in Dinaraea.

<i>Halobrecta</i> Genus of beetles

Halobrecta is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are about six described species in Halobrecta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxypodini</span> Tribe of beetles

Oxypodini is a tribe of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are more than 50 genera and 580 described species in Oxypodini.

<i>Myllaena</i> Genus of beetles

Myllaena is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. There are more than 60 described species in Myllaena.

References

  1. ↑ Yamamoto, Shûhei; Maruyama, Munetoshi; Parker, Joseph (2016). "Evidence for social parasitism of early insect societies by Cretaceous rove beetles". Nature Communications . 7: 13658. Bibcode:2016NatCo...713658Y. doi:10.1038/ncomms13658. PMC   5155144 . PMID   27929066.
  2. ↑ Biolib
  3. ↑ Newton, A. F., Jr., M. K. Thayer, J. S. Ashe, and D. S. Chandler. 2001. 22. Staphylinidae Latreille, 1802. p. 272–418. In: R. H. Arnett, Jr., and M. C. Thomas (eds.). American beetles, Volume 1. CRC Press; Boca Raton, Florida. ix + 443 p.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 James S. Ashe (1947–2005) Tree of life University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
  5. ↑ Family-group Names in Coleoptera (Insecta), p. 18
  6. ↑ Elven, Hallvard; Bachmann, Lutz; Gusarov, Vladimir I. (2012). "Molecular phylogeny of the Athetini–Lomechusini–Ecitocharini clade of aleocharine rove beetles (Insecta)". Zoologica Scripta. 41 (6): 617–636. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2012.00553.x. PMC   3532658 . PMID   23316099.
  7. ↑ "Crematoxenini Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Yamamoto, Shûhei; Maruyama, Munetoshi (2018). "Phylogeny of the rove beetle tribe Gymnusinisensu n.(Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae): Implications for the early branching events of the subfamily". Systematic Entomology. 43 (1): 183–199. Bibcode:2018SysEn..43..183Y. doi:10.1111/syen.12267. S2CID   90331086.
  9. ↑ "Tree of Life, Philotermitini".
  10. ↑ "Sceptobiini Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  11. ↑ Cladistic analysis and taxonomic revision of the termitophilous tribe Termitopaediini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with remarks on their evolution and the behavior of some species. Sociobiology (1977). Volume: 2, Issue: 4, Pages: 297—304
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