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

Staphylinoidea
Temporal range: Rhaetian–Recent
Devil's coach horse beetle, Ocypus olens (Staphylinidae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Staphyliniformia
Superfamily: Staphylinoidea
Latreille, 1802
Some species of Hydraena (Hydraenidae)
Ptenidium punctatum (Ptiliidae)
Nicrophorus interruptus (Silphidae)

Description

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Adult staphylinoids are generally small beetles no more than a few millimetres long, though Staphylinidae can reach 50 mm long and Silphidae can reach 45 mm.[1] The superfamily includes the smallest beetles (and the smallest of all non-parasitic insects) in family Ptiliidae. Most Ptiliidae do not exceed 1 mm long as adults, while the smallest species is just 325 μm long.[2]

Adults can be recognised by the hind wings having no accessory posterior ridge (locking device), no medial loop, no wedge cell and no apical hinge. The 8th segment of the abdomen is not entirely invaginated within the 7th. The head usually lacks a coronal suture (rarely with a short, rudimentary suture).[1]

Larval staphylinoids have 3-segmented (rarely 4-segmented) maxillary palps with distinct (often fused) galia and lacinia. The body usually has well-developed tergites and sternites. The spiracles are annular or annular-biforous. There are no epistomal lobes.[1]

Systematics and evolution

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Staphylinoidea contains the following subgroups:[3][4][5][6]

The unambiguous fossil record dates back to Triassic, and an early Mesozoic origin of the group is probable.[7]

Phylogeny

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A 2019 molecular phylogenetic study confirmed the monophyly of Ptilidae and found that it is sister group to Hydraenidae.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hansen, Michael (1997). Phylogeny and classification of the staphyliniform beetle families (Coleoptera) (PDF). Copenhagen: Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. ISBN 87-7304-286-2. OCLC 38156728.
  2. ^ a b Polilov, Alexey A.; Ribera, Ignacio; Yavorskaya, Margarita I.; Cardoso, Anabela; Grebennikov, Vasily V.; Beutel, Rolf G. (2019). "The phylogeny of Ptiliidae (Coleoptera: Staphylinoidea) – the smallest beetles and their evolutionary transformations". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 77 (3): 433–455. doi:10.26049/ASP77-3-2019-4.
  3. ^ Bouchard, Patrice; Bousquet, Yves; Davies, Anthony E.; Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A.; et al. (2011). "Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)". ZooKeys (88): 1–972. doi:10.3897/zookeys.88.807. ISSN 1313-2989. PMC 3088472. PMID 21594053.
  4. ^ Beutel, R. G. and Leschen, R.A.B. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera) based on characters of larvae and adults. Systematic Entomology
  5. ^ 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
  6. ^ Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press