Staphylinoidea

Taxobox
name = Staphylinoidea

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = Devil's coach horse beetle, "Ocypus olens"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Coleoptera
subordo = Polyphaga
infraordo = Staphyliniformia
superfamilia = Staphylinoidea
superfamilia_authority = Latreille, 1802
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision = See text.

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

Characteristics

Most staphylinoids are middle-sized or small beetles with a pair of shortened elytra. The hind wings have no accessory posterior ridge (locking device), no wedge cell and apical cell. Abdominal 8th segment not entirely invaginated in the 7th. Head mostly without coronal suture. [M.Hansen. Phylogeny and classification of the staphyliniform beetle families (Coleoptera). Biologiske Skrifter 48, Copenhagen, 1997] .

ystematics and evolution

Staphylinoidea contains the following subgroups: [Beutel, R. G. and Leschen, R.A.B. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera) based on characters of larvae and adults. Systematic Entomology] [J. F. Lawrence and A. F. Newton, Jr. 1995. Families and subfamilies of Coleoptera (with selected genera, notes, references and data on family-group names). pp. 779-1006 In: J. Pakaluk & S. A. Slipinski (Eds.): Biology, Phylogeny, and Classification of Coleoptera: Papers Celebrating the 80th Birthday of Roy A. Crowson. Museum i Instytut Zoologii PAN, Warszawa]
* Agyrtidae C.G. Thomson 1859
* Hydraenidae Mulsant 1844
* Leiodidae Fleming 1821 = (Anisotomidae)
** Platypsyllinae Ritsema 1869 or Leptinidae
* Ptiliidae Erichson 1845
** Cephaloplectinae or Limulodidae Sharp 1883
* Scydmaenidae Leach 1815
* Silphidae Latreille 1807 (carrion beetles)
* Staphylinidae Latreille 1802 (rove beetles)
** Scaphidiinae or Scaphidiidae Latreille 1807
** Pselaphinae or Pselaphidae Latreille 1802The unambiguous fossil record dates back to Triassic, and an early Mesozoic origin of the group is probable. [Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press]

References