Xantholinus

Dejean, 1821

rove beetles

Xantholinus is a of () comprising approximately 274 , with the majority to the . The genus has been to North America, where three species (X. elegans, X. linearis, and X. longiventris) are established as . All three North species are flightless and inhabit open disturbed . of at least some species are bioluminescent.

Xantholinus longiventris Heer, 1839 Aed by URSchmidt. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Xantholinus longiventris Heer, 1839 by URSchmidt. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Ruhland, Konsum-Pfad, Wald östlich Parkstr. 8, Kurzflügler (Xantholinus), Spätsommer, 07 by Wilhelm Zimmerling PAR. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Xantholinus: //zænˈθɒlɪnəs//

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Identification

North can be distinguished by coloration and pronotal features: X. elegans has a black with red-orange and (bicolored), while X. linearis and X. longiventris are uniformly . X. linearis and X. longiventris differ in pronotal microsculpture and moisture preferences. All three species are (flightless). Identification of species within the generally requires examination of male , particularly the armature of the internal sac of the .

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Habitat

In North America, occupy open disturbed including agricultural fields (soybean, corn, canola), wooded hedgerows, forest edges, and urban settings. Specimens are found under rocks, in leaf litter, and under . X. longiventris prefers higher moisture conditions such as moss and areas near water, while X. linearis occurs in drier urbanized places. In its range, X. elegans prefers sandy soils.

Distribution

The is distributed worldwide, with most to the . In North America, X. elegans has been recorded from Ontario, Canada (2007–2010) and is native to western Europe. X. linearis occurs in eastern North America (Maritime Provinces since 1949, Ontario since 2008, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island) and western North America (Washington since 1930, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah). X. longiventris is restricted to western North America (California, Oregon, Washington). Thirty-eight species are recorded from Turkey.

Seasonality

In the Palearctic range, the is with appearing in spring and late summer. In North America, adults have been collected throughout summer, with sparse records in spring and fall. One collected April 10, 2010 emerged as an adult May 15, 2010.

Diet

Predatory. have been provided with oribatid and early- Oniscus asellus in captivity, though direct feeding was not observed.

Life Cycle

in Palearctic range. Development from to can occur in approximately five weeks based on captive rearing (April 10 to May 15).

Behavior

All three North are (flightless). X. elegans and X. linearis are continuing to expand their ranges in North America. The has been to North America via human activity, likely through stock importation or associated materials; X. linearis was intercepted in soil with primrose and moss shipments from Europe in the 1930s.

Ecological Role

Predatory that often dominate in open disturbed within their range.

Human Relevance

have been to North America through human-mediated transport, likely via stock importation or associated materials. X. linearis was intercepted in soil shipments from Europe in the 1930s. The represents a case study in by flightless .

Similar Taxa

  • Other StaphylininaeXantholinus can be distinguished from other by tribe-level characters and the distinctive color patterns of the North ; X. elegans in particular is notable for its bicolored appearance (black , red-orange body) compared to uniformly colored relatives.

More Details

Bioluminescence

of at least some Xantholinus are bioluminescent, a trait of potential ecological significance that has been documented in the .

Flightlessness and dispersal

All three North Xantholinus are (flightless), yet have successfully established and expanded their ranges across North America through human-mediated transport, demonstrating that flightlessness does not preclude long-distance in disturbed .

Sources and further reading