Rove beetle 441046 225063048 2008-07-11T18:31:22Z Rjwilmsi 203434 gen fixes + link/fix date fields in cite templates (explanation [[User:Rjwilmsi#My_correction_of_dates_in_templates|here]]) using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Taxobox | name = Rove beetles | image = Staphylinidae.jpg | image_width = 250px | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | ordo = [[Beetle|Coleoptera]] | subordo = [[Polyphaga]] | infraordo = [[Staphyliniformia]] | superfamilia = [[Staphylinoidea]] | familia = '''Staphylinidae''' | familia_authority = [[Auguste Lameere|Lameere]], 1900 | subdivision_ranks = [[Subfamily|Subfamilies]] | subdivision = * [[Aleocharinae]] * [[Apateticinae]] * [[Dasycerinae]] * [[Empelinae]] * [[Euaesthetinae]] * [[Glypholomatinae]] * [[Habrocerinae]] * [[Leptotyphlinae]] * [[Megalopsidiinae]] * [[Micropeplinae]] * [[Microsilphinae]] * [[Neophoninae]] * [[Olisthaerinae]] * [[Omaliinae]] * [[Osoriinae]] * [[Oxyporinae]] * [[Oxytelinae]] * [[Paederinae]] * [[Phloeocharinae]] * [[Piestinae]] * [[Proteininae]] * [[Protopselaphinae]] * [[Pselaphinae]] * [[Pseudopsinae]] * [[Scaphidiinae]] * [[Solieriinae]] * [[Staphylininae]] * [[Steninae]] * [[Tachyporinae]] * [[Trichophyinae]] * [[Trigonurinae]] {{wikispecies|Staphylinidae}} }} The '''rove beetles''' are a large [[family (biology)|family]] ('''Staphylinidae''') of [[beetle]]s, primarily distinguished by their short [[elytra]] that leave more than half of their abdomens exposed. With over 46,000 species in thousands of genera, the group is the second largest family of beetles after the Curculionidae (the [[true weevil]]s). It is an ancient group, with [[fossil]] rove beetles known from the [[Triassic]], 200 million years ago. One well-known species is the [[Devil's coach horse beetle]]. Find other species on the [[List of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) species recorded in Britain|List of British rove beetles]]. ==Anatomy== As might be expected for such a large family, there is considerable variation among the species. Sizes range from 1 to 35 mm (1.5 inches), with most in the 2-8 mm range, and the form is generally elongate, with some rove beetles being ovoid in shape. Colors range from yellow to reddish-brown to brown to black. The [[Antenna (biology)|antennae]] are usually 11 segmented and [[Wiktionary:filiform|filiform]], with moderate clubbing in some genera. The [[abdomen]] may be very long and flexible, and some types of rove beetles superficially resemble [[earwig]]s. The ''Paederus'' species, such as the [[Nairobi fly]], contain a potent toxin in their [[haemolymph]] which is highly irritating to the skin. Pederin is highly toxic, more potent than cobra venom.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.itg.be/itg/DistanceLearning/LectureNotesVandenEndenE/Teksten/sylabus/52_Ectoparasites.doc | title = Ectoparasites | publisher = Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp | language = English | accessdate = 2007-06-04 }}</ref> ==Ecology== Rove beetles are known from every type of [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] that beetles occur in, and their diets include just about everything except the living tissues of [[higher plant]]s. Most rove beetles are [[predator]]s of insects and other kinds of invertebrates, living in forest leaf litter and similar kinds of decaying plant matter. They are also commonly found under stones, and around freshwater margins. Several types are known to live on ocean shores that are submerged at [[high tide]], several species have adapted to live as [[inquiline]]s in [[ant]] and [[termite]] colonies, and some live in symbiotic relationships with [[mammal]]s whereby they eat [[flea]]s and other parasites, benefiting the host. A few species, notably those of the genus ''[[Aleochara]]'', are parasitoids of other insects, particularly of certain fly pupae. Although rove beetles' appetites for other insects would seem to make them obvious candidates for [[biological control]] of pests, and empirically they are believed to be important controls in the wild, experiments with using them have not been notably successful. Greater success is seen with those species (genus ''Aleochara'') that are parasitoids. ==Systematics== Classification of the 46,275 (as of 1998) staphylinid species is ongoing and controversial, with some workers proposing an organization of as many as ten separate families, but the current favored system is one of 31 subfamilies, about 100 tribes (some grouped into supertribes), and about 3,200 genera. About 400 new species are being described each year, and some estimates suggest 3/4 of tropical species are as yet undescribed. ==Important Works on Staphylinidae== For the [[Palaearctic]] Fauna the most up to date works are: *Lohse, G.A. (1964) Familie: Staphylinidae. In: Freude, H., Harde, K.W. & Lohse, G.A. (Eds.), ''Die Käfer Mitteleuropas''. Band 4, Staphylinidae I (Micropeplinae bis Tachyporinae). Krefeld: Goecke & Evers Verlag, 264 pp. *Lohse, G.A. (1974) Familie: Staphylinidae. In: Freude, H., Harde, K.W. & Lohse, G.A. (Eds.), ''Die Käfer Mitteleuropas''. Band 5, Staphylinidae II (Hypocyphtinae und Aleocharinae). Pselaphidae. Krefeld: Goecke & Evers Verlag, 381 pp. *Lohse, G.A. (1989) Ergänzungen und Berichtigungen zu Freude-Harde-Lohse "''Die Käfer Mitteleuropas''" Band 5 (1974), pp. 185-243 In: Lohse, G.A. & Lucht, W.H. (Eds.), Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. 1. Supplementband mit Katalogteil. Krefeld: Goecke & Evers Verlag, pp. 185-243. ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Ocypus spec.jpg|''Ocypus sp.'' Image:Tachyporus obtusus01.jpg|''Tachyporus obtusus'' Image:Staphylinus.olens.jpg|''[[Ocypus olens]]'' Image:Paederus littoralis01.jpg|''Paederus littoralis'' </gallery> ==External links== * http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/beetles/fl_rove_beetles.htm *[http://www.toyen.uio.no/entomology/gusarov/library.htm Digital Library of Early Works on Staphylinidae] * [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5832/1/B265v7.pdf Catalog of the Staphylinidae1758 to the end of the second millennium.][http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5832/1/B265v7.pdf] ==References== * [[Ross H. Arnett, Jr.]] and [[Michael C. Thomas]], ''[[American Beetles]]'' (CRC Press, 2001), vol. 1 ==Notes== {{reflist|1}} [[Category:Staphylinidae| ]] [[Category:Beetles]] [[cs:Drabčíkovití]] [[da:Rovbille]] [[de:Kurzflügler]] [[es:Staphylinidae]] [[fr:Staphylinidae]] [[is:Jötunuxar]] [[ka:მოკლეზედაფრთიანი ხოჭოები]] [[lt:Trumpasparniai]] [[nl:Kortschildkevers]] [[ja:ハネカクシ]] [[no:Kortvinger]] [[pl:Kusakowate (owady)]] [[pt:Staphylinidae]] [[sv:Kortvingar]] [[uk:Жуки-хижаки]] [[zh:隱翅蟲]]