Aleocharinae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aleocharinae: /ˌæl.iˌɒk.əˈraɪni/

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Summary

Aleocharinae is a large subfamily of rove beetles with over 12,000 species, inhabiting various terrestrial habitats and playing significant roles in ecosystems as predators.

Physical Characteristics

Generally small to minute beetles, max length of about 10 mm but mostly 3–5 mm long; body usually slender; color may be light or dark brown, reddish-brown, or black, sometimes with contrasting red, yellow, and black colors.

Identification Tips

Tarsal formula is critical to identification of genera; 70-100X or higher magnification is recommended for identification.

Habitat

Distributed throughout almost all terrestrial habitats; commonly found in soil communities and leaf litter, often in association with mushroom and fungi, and as inquilines in ant and termite nests.

Distribution

Globally distributed with over 12,000 described species; about 1,385 known from North America.

Diet

Predominantly predatory; can be free-living, parasitic, herbivorous, fungivorous, carnivorous.

Life Cycle

Biology is complex with many species known to have specialized life histories, though detailed information on life cycles at the species level is generally lacking.

Ecosystem Role

Common predators in terrestrial communities.

Collecting Methods

• UV light trapping
• Emergence chambers
• Sifting
• Berlese funnel
• Pitfall traps

Evolution

Considered one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetles; previously debated for familial status.

Misconceptions

The true global diversity is much greater than the documented species, which can lead to underestimation of their ecological importance.

Tags

• Aleocharinae
• Coleoptera
• Staphylinidae
• Terrestrial beetles
• Predatory insects