TL;DR: The results strongly suggest that ant-like stone beetles do not form an independent family, but are morphologically modified members of Staphylinidae and, consequently, should be treated as a 32nd recent subfamily within the megadiverse Staphyllinidae sensu latissimo.
Abstract: Ant-like stone beetles (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae) include more than 4,850 described species in about 90 genera main- tained as a separate cosmopolitan family since 1815. Recent authors have hypothesised that Scydmaenidae might be rooted deep inside rove-beetles (Staphylinidae). To test this hypothesis we analysed 206 parsimoniously informative larval and adult morpho- logical characters scored for 38 taxa. Strict consensus topologies from the shortest trees in all 12 analyses consistently placed Scyd- maenidae as sister to (Steninae + Euaesthetinae) in a monophyletic Staphylinine Group (with or without Oxyporinae). The single fully resolved and most consistently supported topology maintains a monophyletic Staphylinine Group consisting of Oxyporinae + (Megalopsidiinae + (("Scydmaenidae" + (Steninae + Euaesthetinae)) + (Leptotyphlinae + (Pseudopsinae + (Paederinae + Staphylini- nae))))); Solierius lacks larval data and is ambiguously placed within the Group. Eight analyses of variably aligned 18S rDNA data for 93 members of Staphylinoidea under parsimony, neighbour-joining and Bayesian approaches were markedly inconsistent, although partly congruent with the Scydmaenidae + (Steninae + Euaesthetinae) hypothesis. Our results strongly suggest that ant-like stone beetles do not form an independent family, but are morphologically modified members of Staphylinidae and, consequently, should be treated as a 32nd recent subfamily within the megadiverse Staphylinidae sensu latissimo. Formal taxonomic acts are: Scydmaeninae Leach, 1815, status novus (= Scydmaenidae Leach, 1815); Scydmaenitae Leach, 1815, status novus (= Scydmaeninae Leach, 1815); Mastigitae Fleming, 1821, status novus (= Mastiginae Fleming, 1821); Hapsomelitae Poinar & Brown, 2004, status novus (= Hapsomelinae Poinar & Brown, 2004). The family Staphylinidae sensu latissimo becomes the largest in Coleoptera and in the whole of the Animal Kingdom, with 55,440 described species (extant plus extinct), thus surpassing Curculionidae with an esti- mated 51,000 described species.
TL;DR: The canaliculatus species group of Stenus ( Nestus ) is redefined and four new Palaearctic species of the group are described and illustrated and the monotypic melanopus species group is erected.
Abstract: The canaliculatus species group of Stenus ( Nestus ) is redefined Four new Palaearctic species of the group are described and illustrated: S ( N ) alopex sp nov from the Putorana Highland and Taymyr Peninsula, Russia; S ( N ) canalis sp nov from SE Siberia and the Russian Far East; S ( N ) canosus sp nov from the Narat Mt Ridge, Chinese Tien Shan; S ( N ) delitor sp nov from C & SE Siberia New distributional data as well as brief analyses of old records for fourteen species described earlier are provided from both Palaearctic and Nearctic material S ( N ) milleporus Casey, 1884 (= s ectilifer Casey, 1884) is revalidated as a species propria S ( N ) sphaerops Casey, 1884 is redescribed; its aedeagus is figured for the first time; the aedeagus of S ( N ) caseyi Puthz, 1972 as well as aedeagi of eight previously described Palaearctic species are illustrated anew A key for the identification of all the known Palaearctic species of the group is given A morphology and ecology based analysis of the main evolutionary trends within the group is provided A lectotype is designated for S ( N ) melanopus Marsham, 1802; its Siberian and NE European records are supposed to be erroneous; the monotypic melanopus species group is erected
TL;DR: The distribution and diversity of the sperm pump within Staphylinidae is discussed; the pump is for the first time reported to occur in Megalopinus puthzi sp.
Abstract: A new Malagasy megalopsidiine rove beetle, Megalopinus puthzi sp. n., is described; the male morphological structures, including the aedeagus, are described for M. lemur Puthz for the first time, and a new record for M. heissi Puthz is given. The distribution and diversity of the sperm pump within Staphylinidae is discussed; the pump is for the first time reported to occur in Megalopsidiinae, Steninae, and Solieriinae; examples in Euaesthetinae and Scydmaeninae are also illustrated.
TL;DR: The Staphylinidae are divided into 32 subfamilies: Apatetic, Dasycerinae, Empelinae and Euaesthetinae as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: This catalog (published in seven parts, all released on the same day) is based on only the published literature for the Staphylinidae. Of the 32 subfamilies, the following 28 are included herein: Apateticinae, Dasycerinae, Empelinae, Euaesthetinae, Glypholomatinae, Habrocerinae, Leptotyphlinae, Megalopsidiinae, Micropeplinae, Microsilphinae, Neophoninae, Olisthaerinae, Omaliinae, Osoriinae, Oxyporinae, Oxytelinae, Phloeocharinae, Piestinae, Protactinae†, Proteininae, Protopselaphinae, Pseudopsinae, Solieriinae, Staphylininae, Steninae, Tachyporinae, Trichophyinae, and Trigonurinae. The Aleocharinae, Paederinae, Pselphinae, and Scaphidiinae are excluded from this edition of the catalog. References to the original citation or description are given for available family-group, genus-group, and species-group names of both extant and extinct forms. The type genus is cited for each family-group name, the type species for each genus-group name, and the type locality for each species-group name. Where appropriate, all subgenera, subspecies, or synonyms are listed for each valid name. Annotated subsequent references are presented for all names. Distributional summaries are given for each valid taxon. Full bibliographic citations are in Part VII. A short historical review, coauthored with Ales Smetana, follows the Introduction (Part I), with the main focus on biographical sketches that include many photographs. The goal of this catalog is to summarize the current state of knowledge of the family and to stimulate worldwide monographic studies.