Staphylinidae
Guides
Echiasterina
Echiasterina is a subtribe of rove beetles within the family Staphylinidae, established by Casey in 1905. It belongs to the tribe Lathrobiini in the subfamily Paederinae. Members of this subtribe are small to medium-sized beetles characterized by the typically short elytra that expose much of the abdomen, a defining feature of Staphylinidae. The group has limited observational records, with 47 observations documented on iNaturalist. Information regarding specific species composition, biology, and ecological roles remains sparse in published literature.
Ecitonidia wheeleri
Ecitonidia wheeleri is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Aleocharinae. It was described by Wasmann in 1900. The species belongs to the tribe Lomechusini, which includes many myrmecophilous (ant-associated) beetles. This species has been recorded from several states in the south-central and southwestern United States.
Ecitoxenidia
Ecitoxenidia is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) established by Wasmann in 1909. The genus contains five described species distributed in North America. Based on its tribal placement in Lomechusini, members are likely myrmecophiles (ant-associated), though direct host records are not documented in available sources.
Ecitoxenidia alabamae
Ecitoxenidia alabamae is a species of rove beetle described by Seevers in 1959. It belongs to the subtribe Myrmedoniina within the tribe Lomechusini, a group known for myrmecophilous (ant-associated) associations. The species is documented from the southeastern United States.
Eleusis
Eleusis is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Osoriinae, tribe Eleusinini. Members of this genus are small, elongate beetles with reduced elytra characteristic of the family. The genus was established by Laporte de Castelnau in 1835 and contains species distributed in various regions.
Empelinae
Empelinae is a small subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) with poorly understood biology. The subfamily contains a single monotypic genus, Empelus, with only one described species, Empelus brunipennis. Members are minute beetles under 2 mm in length, found in secluded microhabitats including forest leaf litter, fungi, and moss along stream edges. Their reclusive ecology has made collection and study difficult, resulting in substantial gaps in knowledge about their life history and behavior.
Empelus
Empelus is a genus of rove beetles in the subfamily Empelinae, established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1861. The genus is part of the hyperdiverse family Staphylinidae, one of the largest families of organisms. Members of Empelinae are characterized by distinctive morphological features including reduced wing venation and specialized mouthpart structures. The genus remains poorly known, with limited species documentation and biological data available.
Ephelinus
Ephelinus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Omaliinae, described by Cockerell in 1906. The genus belongs to the tribe Coryphiini and is characterized by small body size and association with coastal or intertidal habitats. Species in this genus are poorly documented, with limited ecological and behavioral information available.
Ephelinus guttatus
Ephelinus guttatus is a species of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Omaliinae. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1863. It is native to the eastern and southern United States. Like other members of the genus, it likely inhabits leaf litter and decaying organic matter in forested habitats.
Ephelinus notatus
A small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, Ephelinus notatus is a rarely encountered species with limited documented ecological information. The genus Ephelinus belongs to the subfamily Omaliinae, a group of rove beetles often associated with decaying organic matter and forest floor habitats. Based on its taxonomic placement and the distribution records from eastern and central United States, this species likely inhabits moist woodland environments where other Omaliinae species are commonly found.
Erichsonius brachycephalus
A small rove beetle in the genus Erichsonius, described by J.H. Frank in 1975. The species epithet 'brachycephalus' (short-headed) refers to its relatively compact head shape compared to congeners. Records are sparse, with documented occurrences in eastern North America.
Erichsonius patella
Kneecap Rove Beetle
Erichsonius patella, commonly known as the Kneecap Rove Beetle, is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae. It is a member of the large and diverse genus Erichsonius within the tribe Erichsoniina. The species was first described by George Henry Horn in 1884. Like other rove beetles, it exhibits the characteristic abbreviated elytra that expose most of the abdomen.
Euaesthetinae
A subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) containing six tribes. Members are distinguished by slender antennae with two or three apical antennomeres forming a loose club, and tarsal segmentation of 4-4-4 or 5-5-5 (5-5-4 in some exotic genera). Five genera and 22 species are recorded from North America. The genus Octavius, primarily distributed in the Afrotropical region, has been subject to recent taxonomic revision in South Africa.
Euaesthetini
Euaesthetini is a tribe of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) within the subfamily Euaesthetinae, established by Thomson in 1859. Members are small, often minute beetles characterized by distinctive antennal and mouthpart structures. The tribe is distinguished from the related Stenina by specific morphological features of the head and antennae. Euaesthetini contains multiple genera distributed across various biogeographic regions.
Euaesthetus brevipennis
Euaesthetus brevipennis is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Casey in 1884. It belongs to the subfamily Euaesthetinae, a group of small staphylinid beetles often associated with forest floor habitats. The species epithet 'brevipennis' refers to its short-winged condition. Current taxonomic status is ambiguous synonym, suggesting potential taxonomic uncertainty or consolidation with related species.
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.
Eucnecosum
Eucnecosum is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Omaliinae) established by Reitter in 1909. The genus comprises three valid holarctic species: E. brachypterum, E. tenue, and E. brunnescens, all transferred from the genus Arpedium. These beetles occur in both Europe and North America, with E. tenue having been previously described under multiple synonyms including E. meybohmi.
Eucnecosum brunnescens
Eucnecosum brunnescens is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The species was originally described by Sahlberg in 1871 under the genus Arpedium, and later transferred to Eucnecosum. It has a Holarctic distribution, occurring across northern Europe, Russia, and North America from Alaska through Canada to the northern United States.
Euconnus montanus
Euconnus montanus is a species of minute rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Scydmaeninae. The species was described in 2021 by Stephan & O'Keefe. Scydmaenine beetles are commonly known as ant-like stone beetles due to their small size and compact body form. Members of the genus Euconnus are among the smallest beetles, typically measuring less than 2 mm in length.
Euconnus pecki
Euconnus pecki is a species of ant-like stone beetle (family Staphylinidae, subfamily Scydmaeninae) described in 2021 by Stephan and Chandler. It belongs to a large genus of minute beetles characterized by compact bodies and reduced wing venation. The species is known from scattered localities in the south-central United States.
Euconnus salinator
Euconnus salinator is a minute rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Scydmaeninae. Members of this genus are among the smallest beetles, often measuring under 2 mm. The species has been recorded across eastern North America from Canada to Florida. Scydmaenine beetles are primarily associated with leaf litter and soil habitats where they prey on oribatid mites.
Eudectus
Eudectus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The genus was established by Redtenbacher in 1857 and contains at least two described species. Members are found in disjunct regions of Europe and Japan, suggesting a relictual distribution pattern.
Eumicrota socia
Eumicrota socia is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Erichson in 1839. It belongs to the subfamily Aleocharinae and tribe Homalotini. The species is known from scattered records across eastern North America. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be associated with fungi, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Euphaniini
spiny-legged rove beetles
Euphaniini is a tribe of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) established by Reitter in 1909, commonly referred to as spiny-legged rove beetles. The tribe comprises at least eight extant and extinct genera, including Deleaster, Euphanias, Mitosynum, Oxypius, Platydeleaster, and Syntomium, plus the fossil genera Protodeleaster and Pseudanotylus. Members of this tribe are classified within the subfamily Oxytelinae.
Euplectus
ant-loving beetles
Euplectus is a genus of minute rove beetles in the subfamily Pselaphinae, commonly referred to as ant-loving beetles. The genus contains approximately 13 described species. Members of this genus are characterized by their small size, compact body form, and close ecological associations with ants. They belong to the tribe Euplectini within the diverse family Staphylinidae.
Euplectus acomanus
Euplectus acomanus is a minute rove beetle (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) described by Casey in 1908. It belongs to the tribe Euplectini, a group of small, often myrmecophilous beetles characterized by compact bodies and reduced elytra. The species has been recorded across eastern North America and the southwestern United States, with scattered Canadian occurrences. Like other pselaphines, it likely inhabits moist leaf litter and soil microhabitats.
Eupsenius
Eupsenius is a genus of ant-loving beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae. The genus contains approximately six described species distributed primarily in North America. Members of this genus are myrmecophilous, living in association with ant colonies. The genus was established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1849.
Eusphalerini
Eusphalerini is a tribe of rove beetles within the subfamily Omaliinae, established by Hatch in 1957. The tribe contains small to medium-sized beetles characterized by particular configurations of the abdominal tergites and wing venation. Members are primarily found in the Northern Hemisphere, with greatest diversity in the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. The group remains relatively poorly studied compared to other omaliine tribes.
Eusphalerum carolinensis
Eusphalerum carolinensis is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Zanetti in 2014. It belongs to the subfamily Omaliinae and tribe Eusphalerini. The species is known from multiple states in the eastern and central United States.
Eusphalerum convexum
Eusphalerum convexum is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The species is known from eastern North America, with records spanning Canada and the northeastern and midwestern United States. Like other members of the genus, it is associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats.
Eusphalerum orientale
Eusphalerum orientale is a rove beetle in the subfamily Omaliinae, distributed across northeastern North America with scattered records extending to the Pacific Northwest. The species is documented from Canada and the United States, though specific ecological and behavioral details remain poorly studied. It belongs to a genus commonly associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats.
Eusphalerum pothos
Eusphalerum pothos is a species of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Omaliinae. It is broadly distributed across northern North America, with records spanning Canada from British Columbia to the Atlantic provinces, and the northern United States from Alaska to the Northeast. The species is one of approximately 50 North American members of the genus Eusphalerum, a group of small omaliine rove beetles often associated with decaying plant matter and fungal habitats.
Eusphalerum rugulosum
Eusphalerum rugulosum is a small rove beetle in the subfamily Omaliinae, first described from North America in 1853. Members of this genus are generally associated with decaying plant matter and fungal habitats. The species has been documented across western and northern North America, with scattered records extending to the northeastern United States. It remains poorly studied, with limited published information on its biology.
Eusphalerum swauki
Eusphalerum swauki is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Hatch in 1957. It belongs to the subfamily Omaliinae, a group of small to medium-sized beetles often associated with decaying plant matter and fungal habitats. The species has a restricted distribution in western North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest and adjacent regions of Canada and the United States.
Euthiconus
Euthiconus is a genus of minute rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Scydmaeninae. The genus was established by Reitter in 1882 and contains five described species. These beetles are found in Europe and North America, with records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden confirmed. The group belongs to the tribe Eutheiini within the ant-like stone beetle subfamily.
Eutrichites
Eutrichites is a genus of ant-loving beetles (subfamily Pselaphinae) in the family Staphylinidae. The genus was established by LeConte in 1880 and contains at least two described species: Eutrichites arizonensis (described 1989) and Eutrichites zonatus (described 1865). Members of this genus are small rove beetles associated with ant colonies.
Eutrichites zonatus
ant-loving beetle
Eutrichites zonatus is a species of ant-loving beetle in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Brendel in 1865. It is found across much of North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the subfamily Pselaphinae, it is associated with ant colonies, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Eutyphlus schmitti
Eutyphlus schmitti is a minute ant-loving beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Raffray in 1904. It belongs to the subfamily Pselaphinae, a diverse group of small rove beetles frequently associated with ant colonies. The species is documented from multiple states in the eastern United States.
Falagria dissecta
Dissected Minute Rove Beetle
Falagria dissecta is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, characterized by its abbreviated elytra that expose most of the abdomen. The species is widely distributed across North America, with records spanning Canada and the United States. As a member of the tribe Falagriini, it belongs to a group of minute rove beetles that are often associated with decaying organic matter and soil habitats.
Falagria sulcata
Falagria sulcata is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. The species has been introduced to Canada and the United States, with records from multiple provinces and states. GBIF lists it as a synonym of Falagria caesa, though sources vary in their taxonomic treatment. As a member of the tribe Falagriini, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized aleocharine rove beetles.
Falagriini
Falagriini is a tribe of rove beetles within the subfamily Aleocharinae, containing approximately 11 genera and at least 20 described species. The tribe includes several myrmecophilous genera, with some species exhibiting associations with ants. Phylogenetic studies have clarified relationships within the tribe, including the recovery of Sceptobiini as nested within Falagriini.
Fenderia capizzii
Fenderia capizzii is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Hatch in 1957. It belongs to the subfamily Euaesthetinae, a group of small staphylinids often associated with forest floor habitats. The species is known from Oregon, USA, and appears to have a restricted distribution within the Pacific Northwest.
Fluviphirus
Fluviphirus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, described by Brunke in 2021. It belongs to the subtribe Indoquediina within the tribe Staphylinini. The genus name suggests an association with riverine or fluvial habitats. As a recently described taxon, detailed biological information remains limited.
Fustiger
ant-loving beetles
Fustiger is a genus of myrmecophilous (ant-loving) beetles in the family Staphylinidae, belonging to the tribe Clavigerini. These beetles are highly specialized social parasites that live within ant colonies. The genus contains at least three described species: Fustiger fuchsii, Fustiger knausii, and Fustiger stricticornis. Members of this genus exhibit remarkable morphological adaptations for infiltrating ant nests and exploiting colony resources.
Gabrius astutoides
Gabrius astutoides is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Staphylininae. Originally described from Europe in 1946, it has established populations in eastern North America through human introduction. The species belongs to the diverse genus Gabrius, which contains numerous similar-looking species requiring careful examination for identification.
Gabrius brevipennis
Gabrius brevipennis is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Horn in 1884. Originally placed in the genus Philonthus, it was later transferred to Gabrius. The species is broadly distributed across northern North America, occurring in Canada from British Columbia to Newfoundland and in the northern United States from Washington to New England. Like other members of the tribe Philonthina, it is likely a predatory beetle associated with decaying organic matter and soil habitats. The specific epithet "brevipennis" refers to its relatively short elytra, a characteristic feature of many rove beetles.
Gabrius micropthalmus
Gabrius micropthalmus is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, tribe Staphylinini. The species epithet 'micropthalmus' refers to its characteristically reduced eyes. It belongs to a genus of predatory rove beetles found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. The species is known from limited records and is not well studied.
Gabrius ovaliceps
Gabrius ovaliceps is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Fall in 1930. It belongs to the large subtribe Philonthina within the tribe Staphylinini. The species is known from eastern North America, with records spanning from Ontario and Quebec south to Texas. Like other members of the genus Gabrius, it is a ground-dwelling beetle likely associated with moist habitats.
Gabrius vindex
Gabrius vindex is a species of rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) described by Smetana in 1995. It belongs to the subfamily Staphylininae, tribe Staphylinini, and subtribe Philonthina. The species is known from parts of North America including Canada and the northern United States. As a member of the large and diverse Staphylinidae family, it likely shares the general characteristics of predatory rove beetles, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Gabronthus thermarum
Gabronthus thermarum is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) originally described from Europe in 1850. The species has become widely distributed through human activity, with established populations across the Palearctic region and numerous introductions to the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. It is frequently associated with warm, moist environments including compost, manure, and decomposing organic matter. Its successful global spread makes it one of the more broadly distributed members of the genus Gabronhus.