Litter-fauna
Guides
Aptopus gracilis
Aptopus gracilis is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, tribe Xantholinini. Members of this genus are characterized by their slender, elongated body form typical of many rove beetles. The species is distinguished from congeners by its gracile proportions and specific morphological details of the antennae and pronotum. Like other Xantholinini, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter and soil habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in published literature.
Archeocrypticidae
cryptic fungus beetles, Ancient Fungus Beetle
Archeocrypticidae is a small family of beetles comprising approximately 10 genera and 50 species worldwide. Commonly referred to as cryptic fungus beetles, members of this family are saprophagous, with adults and larvae typically found in plant litter and associated with fungal substrates. The family exhibits a predominantly pantropical distribution, with notable diversity in Australia and relative absence from temperate Palearctic and Nearctic regions.
Cunaxoidinae
Cunaxoidinae is a subfamily of predatory mites in the family Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata). The Philippine fauna comprises 21 species. Members occupy diverse microhabitats including leaf litter, bark, organic debris, ant and termite nests, and coconut foliage. The subfamily includes genera such as Lupaeus and Scutopalus.
Erythraeus tonsus
Erythraeus tonsus is a species of predatory mite in the family Erythraeidae, first described by L. Koch in 1879. Like other erythraeid mites, it belongs to a group of active, fast-moving predators found in terrestrial habitats. The species has been recorded across Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. Erythraeid mites are generally recognized for their elongated body form and long legs adapted for cursorial (running) locomotion.
Euaesthetus similis
Euaesthetus similis is a rove beetle species in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Casey in 1884. It belongs to the subfamily Euaesthetinae, a group of small staphylinids often associated with forest litter and soil habitats. The species has a broad transcontinental distribution across North America, with records from Canada through the United States to Mexico.
Euplectus confluens
Euplectus confluens is a small rove beetle (family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae) described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1849. It belongs to the tribe Euplectini, a group of minute beetles typically found in leaf litter and soil habitats. The species has a broad distribution across eastern and central North America, with records extending from Canada to the southern United States. Like other pselaphine rove beetles, it is presumed to be a predator or scavenger in decomposing organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Goniaceritae
ant-loving beetles
Goniaceritae is a supertribe of minute ant-loving beetles within the subfamily Pselaphinae (Staphylinidae), established by Edmund Reitter in 1882. The group comprises approximately 16 genera and at least 30 described species, though this is likely an underestimate given ongoing taxonomic work. The type genus is Goniacerus Motschulsky, 1855. Members of this supertribe are myrmecophilous, meaning they are ecologically associated with ants, though the specific nature of these associations varies among genera and species.
Hahnia
comb-tailed spiders, dwarf sheet spiders
Hahnia is the most species-rich genus of the comb-tailed spider family Hahniidae, with approximately 102 valid species distributed worldwide. These spiders are small, cryptic arachnids characterized by their distinctive spinneret arrangement. Most species are under 4 mm in body length as adults. The genus was established by C. L. Koch in 1841 and was formerly classified within Agelenidae until recognized as a distinct family. Species occur across diverse habitats including caves, forest litter, and under bark.
Haplozetidae
Haplozetidae is a family of oribatid mites (Sarcoptiformes) established by Grandjean in 1936. The family contains at least 20 genera and approximately 210 described species. Members of this family are primarily soil-dwelling microarthropods found in litter and upper soil strata across diverse geographic regions.
Hypocyphtini
Hypocyphtini is a tribe of rove beetles (family Staphylinidae, subfamily Aleocharinae) established by Laporte de Castelnau in 1835. Members of this tribe are small to minute beetles characterized by compact body forms and reduced or modified wing structures. The tribe is distinguished from related aleocharine tribes primarily by genitalic and mouthpart morphology. Hypocyphtini species are primarily associated with decaying organic matter and are found across multiple continents, though individual species tend to have narrow distributions.
Medonina
Medonina is a subtribe of rove beetles (family Staphylinidae) established by Casey in 1905. As of 2024, it encompasses 49 genera distributed across multiple continents. The subtribe belongs to the tribe Lathrobiini within the subfamily Paederinae. Members are small to medium-sized predatory beetles commonly found in leaf litter, soil, and other decaying organic matter.
Notoxinae
Monoceros beetles
Notoxinae is a subfamily of beetles in the family Anthicidae, commonly known as monoceros beetles. Members of this group are small, elongate beetles with distinctive antennal morphology. The subfamily was established by Stephens in 1829 and contains multiple genera distributed across various regions. These beetles are part of the diverse Tenebrionoidea superfamily, which includes many fungus-feeding and detritivorous species.
Ocypus
Ocypus is a genus of rove beetles in the subfamily Staphylininae, containing approximately 176 described species distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Oriental regions. The genus includes the well-known Ocypus olens (devil's coach-horse beetle), a large, predatory species with documented potential for biological control of pest snails. Several species have been introduced outside their native ranges, including O. nitens, which has established in North America and shown rapid range expansion. The genus exhibits considerable diversity in China, with numerous species described from Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan, and other provinces.
Piestus
flat rove beetles
Piestus is a genus of flat rove beetles established by Gravenhorst in 1806. The genus contains more than 30 described species and is classified within the subfamily Piestinae of the family Staphylinidae. Members of this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened body form, an adaptation associated with their habitat preferences. The genus is part of the diverse rove beetle fauna, though specific ecological details for most species remain poorly documented.
Podocinum
Podocinum is a genus of predatory mites in the family Podocinidae, order Mesostigmata. The genus contains more than 30 described species distributed across six continents. Species have been collected from diverse habitats including leaf litter and, in one documented case, from the fur of a wild rodent. The genus was established by Berlese in 1882 and has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, including the description of new species from China and the United States.
Quedius caseyi divergens
Quedius caseyi divergens is a subspecies of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae. As a member of the genus Quedius, it belongs to a diverse group of predatory beetles commonly found in various terrestrial habitats. The subspecies designation indicates geographic or morphological differentiation from the nominate form Quedius caseyi caseyi. Specific information about this particular subspecies is limited in available sources.
Staphylinina
Staphylinina is a subtribe of rove beetles within the tribe Staphylinini, family Staphylinidae. Members are typically medium to large-sized rove beetles with elongated bodies and relatively short elytra that leave much of the abdomen exposed. The subtribe includes genera such as Platydracus, Staphylinus, Ocypus, Agelosus, and Naddia. Several species have been documented exhibiting specialized behaviors including ant-mimicry and termitophily. The group has a cosmopolitan distribution with significant diversity in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions.
Zerconidae
Zerconidae is a family of mesostigmatid mites found primarily in soil and litter habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. The family includes approximately 20 genera and numerous species, with documented occurrences in North America, Europe, Turkey, and other regions. These mites have been collected from diverse habitats including boreal forests, temperate woodlands, reforested areas, felled sites, and forest canopies. Several genera are recognized, including Zercon, Prozercon, Mixozercon, Boreozercon, and Halozercon.