''Aleochara'' is a genus in the

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

family Staphylinidae, the

rove beetle The rove beetles are a family (biology), family (Staphylinidae) of beetles, primarily distinguished by their short elytra (wing covers) that typically leave more than half of their abdominal segments exposed. With over 66,000 species in thousand ...

s. Larvae of Staphylinidae occur in many assorted ecological roles, most being scavengers, predators or carrion feeders, but the larvae of at least those species of ''Aleochara'' whose life histories are known are

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

s. They feed in the puparia of suitable species of flies, killing the host in the process. Adult ''Aleochara'' are predators. ''Aleochara'' are found worldwide except in

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

. There are at least 150 and possibly more than 400 species in 16 subgenera. The adults of many species can be found near dung or carrion, commonly feeding on the eggs, larvae, and puparia of various scatophagous and necrophagous

Diptera Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advance ...

. The most extensively studied aleocharine rove beetle is '' Aleochara bilineata'' Gyllenhal, which is a significant

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

agent against some fly pests (notably ''

Delia DeliaDella as a diminutive is a feminine given name either taken from an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, or else representing a short form of '' Adelia'', '' Bedelia'', '' Cordelia'' or '' Odelia''. Meanings and origins According to ...

'' spp. in the family

Anthomyiidae The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse family (biology), family of Muscoidea fly, flies. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many ''Pegomya'' are yellow, and some members of the genus, genera ''Ant ...

) of agricultural crops in the mustard and cabbage family

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older but equally valid) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important Family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous pla ...

, such as

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

rutabaga Rutabaga (; North American English) or swede (British English and some Commonwealth English) is a root vegetable, a form of ''Brassica napus'' (which also includes rapeseed). Other names include Swedish turnip, neep (Scots language, Scots), an ...

canola file:CanolaBlooms.JPG, Close-up of canola blooms file:Canola Flower.jpg, Canola flower Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both Edible oil, edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several ...

, and many others.

Subgenera

The genus ''Aleochara'' contains at least 150 and possibly more than 400 species, distributed into 16 subgenera. Below is a list of subgenera: *'' Heterochara'' *''

Aleochara ''Aleochara'' is a genus in the beetle family Staphylinidae, the rove beetles. Larvae of Staphylinidae occur in many assorted ecological roles, most being scavengers, predators or carrion feeders, but the larvae of at least those species of ''A ...

'' *'' Aidochara'' *'' Euryodma'' *'' Ceranota'' *'' Emplenota'' *'' Triochara'' *'' Maseochara'' *'' Echochara'' *'' Calochara'' *'' Mesochara'' *'' Xenochara'' *'' Rheochara'' *'' Polystomota'' *'' Coprochara'' *'' Megalogastria''

References

Other sources

*Klimaszewski, J. 1984. A revision of the genus ''Aleochara'' Gravenhorst in America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae). ''Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada'' 129: 1–211. *Maus, C., B. Mittman, K. Peschke. 1998. Host records of parasitoid ''Aleochara'' Gravenhorst species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) attacking puparia of cyclorrhapheous Diptera. ''Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift'' 45: 231–254. {{Taxonbar, from=Q1941985 Aleocharinae genera Beetles of Europe Beetles of North America Taxa named by Johann Ludwig Christian Gravenhorst Aleocharinae

Subgenera

See also

References

Other sources