Aleocharinae

Aleocharinae
Aleochara lanuginosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Staphyliniformia
Superfamily:	Staphylinoidea
Family:	Staphylinidae
Subfamily:	Aleocharinae Fleming, 1821
Synonyms
Aleocharidae Fleming, 1821[1]

Aleocharinae is one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetle, containing over 12,000 species. Previosly subject to large-scale debate whether the subfamily deserved the familial status, it is now considered one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetle. ^{[2] [3]}

Description

Aleocharinae are generally small to minute beetles, as they can reach a maximum length of about 10 millimetres (0.39 in), but usually the are 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) long, with a few species of 1 millimetre (0.039 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. ^[3]

Anatomy

Because of the largeness of the subfamily, the anatomy of the subfamily is extremely variable. However, there are a few key features all rove beetles of the subfamily share. All members have antennae that have 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. ^[3]

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, and thus are prone to extinction. There are free living, parasitic, herbivore, carnivore, fungivore, flier, walker, runner, swimmer, social and solitary forms, but the life history is 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.It is very unknown and is in need of more studying from scientists. ^[3]

Tribes and selected genera

Below is a list of all the tribes and some selected genera. ^{[4] [3]}

Gallery

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  Aleochara lata

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  Xenodusa cava

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  Xenistusa sp.

• Play media

  Bolitochara lucida on fungus

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  Male (left) and female genitals of Ischnoglossa prolix

Bibliography

• Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012a. Comparison of the Coleoptera communities in leaf litter and rotten wood in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 259: 1–58.
• 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, FL. ix + 443 p.
• Ashe, J. S. 2005: Phylogeny of the tachyporine group subfamilies and 'basal' lineages of the Aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) based on larval and adult characteristics. Systematic entomology, 30: 3-37. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2004.00258.
• Thomas, J. C. 2009: A preliminary molecular investigation of aleocharine phylogeny (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 102: 189—195. doi: 10.1603/008.102.0201

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aleocharinae.

Wikispecies has information related to: Aleocharinae

External links

• Aleocharinae at Bugguide.net.