Tachyporinae

MacLeay, W. S., 1825

Crab-like Rove Beetles, Crablike Rove Beetles

Tribe Guides

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Tachyporinae is a of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) commonly known as crab-like rove beetles. Members are generally small, measuring 2.4 to 5 millimeters in length. The subfamily contains approximately 60 across twelve , including Tachinus, Ischnosoma, Sepedophilus, and Olophrinus. Species exhibit a body shape.

Tachinus semirufus by (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie. Used under a CC-BY license.Sepedophilus by (c) Slimguy, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Sepedophilus basalis by no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tachyporinae: //ˌtækɪpɔːˈraɪniː//

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Identification

Members are distinguished from other rove beetle by their small size (2.4–5 mm), (spindle-shaped) body, and crab-like appearance. The short typical of Staphylinidae expose most of the . Within the subfamily, can be distinguished by characters of the mouthparts, , and male and female genitalia; -level identification typically requires examination of these structures.

Images

Distribution

Documented from multiple regions including China, Taiwan, Nepal, Georgia, and Japan. Within China, occur in provinces such as Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hubei, Qinghai, Ningxia, Tibet, Guangxi, and Zhejiang. Some species groups (e.g., Ischnosoma spelaeum group in Georgia) have very restricted distributions, while others (e.g., I. pictum group) are widespread.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Staphylinidae subfamiliesTachyporinae can be distinguished from other rove beetle by the combination of small size, body shape, and specific arrangements of setae and punctation on the and ; detailed examination of mouthpart structure and genitalia is often required for definitive identification.

Sources and further reading