Philonthus gopheri
Hubbard, 1894
Gopher Tortoise Rove Beetle
Philonthus gopheri is a of rove beetle ( Staphylinidae) described by Hubbard in 1894. It is commonly known as the Gopher Tortoise Rove Beetle due to its documented association with gopher tortoise burrows. The species is known from Florida, USA, and like other members of the Philonthus, it is likely predatory. Very few observations of this species exist in public databases.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Philonthus gopheri: //fɪˈlɒnθəs ˈɡɒfɛri//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Habitat
Documented from gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows in Florida. The burrow environment provides stable microclimatic conditions and likely supports prey that the feeds upon.
Distribution
Known from Florida, USA. Distribution records are sparse, with only two observations documented in iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Host Associations
- Gopherus polyphemus - associated with burrows epithet and reflect documented association with gopher tortoise burrows
Similar Taxa
- Philonthus caeruleipennisAnother North American Philonthus with documented associations; P. caeruleipennis is found in fungi and has metallic blue-green , distinguishing it from P. gopheri
- Other Philonthus speciesThe Philonthus contains numerous similar-looking rove beetles; identification to level requires careful examination of morphological characters and knowledge of associations
More Details
Taxonomic note
The specific epithet 'gopheri' directly references the Gopher Tortoise, indicating this was described from specimens collected in association with this reptile's burrows. This is a rare example of a species named for an association with a vertebrate burrow system.
Data limitations
This is extremely poorly documented in the literature. The Catalogue of Life and GBIF confirm its accepted status but provide minimal biological information. The two iNaturalist observations represent a significant portion of available occurrence data.