This is the largest family of beetles in the UK and includes over 1000 species. It is divided into a number of subfamilies some of which are easily recognisable. The subfamily key below can be used to start your identification. Use the genus keys to take identification further. The six subfamilies with a single representative in the British fauna are keyed in the subfamily key. PLEASE send comments about deficiencies, points needing further clarification, really ANY FEEDBACK to improve the keys to mikesinsectkeysATgmail.com Subfamily Aleocharinae, keys to species of other tribes in progress (I can send you bits on request - mikesinsectkeysATgmail.com). Click below for
Subfamily Euaesthetinae, key to species below Subfamily Habrocerinae, one species - Habrocerus capillaricornis Subfamily Micropeplinae, one genus in the UK - Micropeplus - key to species below Subfamily Omaliinae, click here for key to genus and many species Subfamily Oxyporinae, one species - Oxyporus rufus Subfamily Oxytelinae, key to genus and species Subfamily Paederinae, key to genus below. Subfamily Phloeocharinae, one species - Phloeocharis subtilissima Subfamily Piestinae, one species - Siagonium quadricorne Subfamily Proteininae, key to species below Subfamily Pselaphinae, click here for key to genus and species Subfamily Pseudopsinae, one species - Pseudopsis sulcata Subfamily Scaphidiinae, key to species below Subfamily Scydmaenidae, key to genus and species below Subfamily Staphylininae Key to genus and some species Subfamily Steninae, Click here for key to genus and species Subfamily Tachyporinae, key to genus below - Key to the British species of genus Tachyporus Subfamily Trichophyinae, one species - Trichophya pilicornis Keys to the Staphylinidae of the Faroe Islands The derivation of the name Staphylinidae I was asked about the derivation of the family name by a researcher and my first research seemed to indicate it came from staphule meaning a grape or a bunch of grapes. Coiffait (1972) Coléoptères Staphylinidae de la Région Paléarctique Occidentale writes the following (my
translation from the French): "Aristotle in his Περὶ τὰ Ζῷα Ἱστορίαι (History
of the Animals) written about 330 BC is probably the first author – at least
the first whose writings have survived – who mentions insects termed staphulinos. It is not possible to state definitively which
insect is intended under that name. What
is more he used the same word to describe a plant. Littré (1873-1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, derives the name staphylin from the Greek staphule, meaning a grape or a cluster of grapes. This etymology is followed by authors of other dictionaries. If this is accurate it is possible that Aristotle’s beetle was in fact Timarcha (Chrysomelidae). The more or less spherical shape of this black beetle combined with the fact that it exudes red haemolymph when alarmed could suggest a comparison with a grape. Carl von Linne, the creator of the binomial system of nomenclature, erected the genus Staphylinus in 1758 in his book Systema naturae, X. I, page 421. He placed around twenty species into this genus, most of which are today placed in other genera in family Staphylinidae." |
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