Staphylinoidea is a

superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...

of beetles. It is a very large and diverse group with worldwide distribution.

Description

Adult staphylinoids are generally small beetles no more than a few millimetres long, though

Staphylinidae The rove beetles are a family (Staphylinidae) of beetles, primarily distinguished by their short elytra (wing covers) that typically leave more than half of their abdominal segments exposed. With roughly 63,000 species in thousands of genera, the ...

can reach 50 mm long and Silphidae can reach 45 mm. The superfamily includes the smallest beetles (and the smallest of all non-parasitic insects) in family Ptiliidae. Most Ptiliidae do not exceed 1 mm long as adults, while the smallest species is just 325 µm long. Adults can be recognised by the hind wings having no accessory posterior ridge (locking device), no medial loop, no wedge cell and no apical hinge. The 8th segment of the abdomen is not entirely invaginated within the 7th. The head usually lacks a coronal suture (rarely with a short, rudimentary suture). Larval staphylinoids have 3-segmented (rarely 4-segmented) maxillary palps with distinct (often fused) galia and lacinia. The body usually has well-developed tergites and sternites. The spiracles are annular or annular-biforous. There are no epistomal lobes.

Systematics and evolution

Staphylinoidea contains the following subgroups: * Family

Agyrtidae Agyrtidae, or primitive carrion beetles, are a small family of beetles belonging to Staphylinoidea. They are found in mostly temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere and in New Zealand. Characteristics Agyrtidae are small or middle-sized bee ...

C.G. Thomson 1859 (primitive carrion beetles) ** Subfamily

Agyrtinae Agyrtinae is a subfamily in the family Agyrtidae.Lawrence, J.F. & Newton, A.F., Jr. Evolution and classification of beetles. Annu. Rev. of Ecology and Systematics 13, 1982. It contains four genera: '' Agyrtes'' (the type genus of the subfamily ...

Thomson, 1859 ** Subfamily Necrophilinae Newton, 1997 ** Subfamily Pterolomatinae Thomson, 1862 * Family

Jacobsoniidae Jacobsoniidae are a family of tiny beetles belonging to Staphylinoidea. The larvae and adults live under bark, in plant litter, fungi, bat guano and rotten wood. There are around 28 described species in three genera: Description Members of this ...

Heller, 1926 * Family Hydraenidae Mulsant 1844 (minute moss beetles) ** Subfamily Hydraeninae Mulsant, 1844 ** Subfamily Ochthebiinae C. G. Thomson, 1860 ** Subfamily Orchymontiinae Perkins, 1997 ** Subfamily Prosthetopinae Perkins, 1994 * Family

Leiodidae Leiodidae is a family of beetles with around 3800 described species found worldwide. Members of this family are commonly called round fungus beetles due to the globular shape of many species, although some are more elongated in shape. They are g ...

Fleming 1821 (round fungus beetles) ** Subfamily Camiarinae Jeannel, 1911 ** Subfamily Catopocerinae Hatch, 1927 ** Subfamily

Cholevinae Cholevinae is a subfamily of small carrion beetles in the family Leiodidae. There are more than 260 genera and 1,100 described species in Cholevinae. See also For a list of genera in Cholevinae, see List of Leiodidae genera These 379 genera b ...

Kirby, 1837 ** Subfamily Coloninae Horn, 1880 ** Subfamily Leiodinae Fleming, 1821 ** Subfamily

Platypsyllinae Platypsyllinae is a subfamily of the family Leiodidae, known as mammal-nest beetles. The group was formerly known as the family Leptinidae but the name Platypsyllidae had seniority, and is now ranked as a subfamily. Genera *'' Leptinillus'' Hor ...

Ritsema, 1869 * Family Ptiliidae Erichson 1845 (featherwing beetles) ** Subfamily Acrotrichinae Reitter, 1909 ** Subfamily Cephaloplectinae Sharp, 1883 ** Subfamily Nanosellinae Barber, 1924 ** Subfamily Ptiliinae Erichson, 1845 * Family Silphidae Latreille 1807 (carrion beetles) ** Subfamily Nicrophorinae Kirby, 1837 ** Subfamily Silphinae Latreille, 1806 * Family

Latreille 1802 (rove beetles) ** Subfamily Aleocharinae Fleming, 1821 ** Subfamily Apateticinae Fauvel, 1895 ** Subfamily Dasycerinae Reitter, 1887 ** Subfamily Empelinae Newton and Thayer, 1992 ** Subfamily Euaesthetinae Thomson, 1859 ** Subfamily Glypholomatinae Jeannel, 1962 ** Subfamily Habrocerinae Mulsant and Rey, 1876 ** Subfamily Leptotyphlinae Fauvel, 1874 ** Subfamily Megalopsidiinae Leng, 1920 ** Subfamily Micropeplinae Leach, 1815 ** Subfamily Microsilphinae Crowson, 1950 ** Subfamily Neophoninae Fauvel, 1905 ** Subfamily Olisthaerinae Thomson, 1858 ** Subfamily

Omaliinae The Omaliinae are a subfamily of the Staphylinidae, rove beetles.Newton, A. F., Jr., M. K. Thayer, J. S. Ashe, and D. S. Chandler. 2001. 22. Staphylinidae Latreille, 1802. p. 272–418. In: R. H. Arnett, Jr., and M. C. Thomas (eds.). American bee ...

MacLeay, 1825 ** Subfamily Osoriinae Erichson, 1839 ** Subfamily Oxyporinae Fleming, 1821 ** Subfamily

Oxytelinae The Oxytelinae are a subfamily of the Staphylinidae, rove beetles. There are about 20 genera and at least 320 described species in Oxytelinae. Genera These 20 genera belong to the subfamily Oxytelinae: * '' Anotylus'' Thomson, 1859 * '' Aplode ...

Fleming, 1821 ** Subfamily Paederinae Fleming, 1821 ** Subfamily Phloeocharinae Erichson, 1839 ** Subfamily

Piestinae Piestinae are a subfamily of Staphylinidae.Newton, A. F., Jr., M. K. Thayer, J. S. Ashe, and D. S. Chandler. 2001. 22. Staphylinidae Latreille, 1802. p. 272–418. In: R. H. Arnett, Jr., and M. C. Thomas (eds.). American beetles, Volume 1. CRC P ...

Erichson, 1839 ** Subfamily

Proteininae Proteininae Erichson 1839 are a subfamily of Staphylinidae The rove beetles are a family (Staphylinidae) of beetles, primarily distinguished by their short elytra (wing covers) that typically leave more than half of their abdominal segments ex ...

Erichson, 1839 ** Subfamily Protopselaphinae Newton and Thayer, 1995 ** Subfamily Pselaphinae Latreille, 1802 ** Subfamily Pseudopsinae Ganglbauer, 1895 ** Subfamily Scaphidiinae Latreille, 1806 ** Subfamily

Scydmaeninae Scydmaeninae are a subfamily of small beetles, commonly called ant-like stone beetles or scydmaenines. These beetles occur worldwide, and the subfamily includes some 4,500 species in about 80 genera. Established as a family, they were reduced in ...

Leach, 1815 ** Subfamily Solieriinae Newton and Thayer, 1992 ** Subfamily Staphylininae Latreille, 1802 ** Subfamily Steninae MacLeay, 1825 ** Subfamily Tachyporinae MacLeay, 1825 ** Subfamily Trichophyinae Thomson, 1858 ** Subfamily Trigonurinae Reiche, 1866 ** † Subfamily Protactinae Heer, 1847 The unambiguous fossil record dates back to Triassic, and an early Mesozoic origin of the group is probable.Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press

Phylogeny

A 2019 molecular phylogenetic study confirmed the monophyly of Ptilidae and found that it is

sister group In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and t ...

to Hydraenidae.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q132752 Beetle superfamilies