Staphyliniformia | |
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Devil's coach horse beetle, Ocypus olens | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Suborder: | Polyphaga |
Infraorder: | Staphyliniformia Lameere, 1900 |
Superfamilies | |
See text. |
Staphyliniformia is a large infraorder of beetles. It contains over 60,000 described species from all regions of the world. Most species occur in moist habitats - various kinds of rotting plant debris, fungi, dung, carrion, many live in fresh water.
Contents |
Most Staphyliniforms are small to average sized beetles. The diverse group has few clear apomorphies. They have primitively 11-segmented antennae, a constricted neck well behind the eyes. The pronotum has a well defined, large lateral edge. Larval legs are 5-segmented, the 10th abdominal segment is often with more-or-less fine or strong spines or hooks. Urogomphi (paired "horns" at posterior tip of abdomen of larvae and pupae) with basal articulation[1].
Staphyliniformia belongs to the Polyphaga suborder and is usually given an infraorder or series rank. It contains three superfamilies:
Some recent studies also include the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (infraorder Scarabaeiformia), forming together the so called Hydrophiloid lineage.[2][3] A sister group relationship of Hydrophiloidea and Histeroidea is strongly supported[4].
The unambiguous fossil record dates back to Triassic, and an early Mesozoic origin of the group is probable.[5]
List of subgroups of the order Coleoptera