Coleoptera (beetles) of the British Indian Ocean Territory

Aleochara puberula Klug 1832: 139 ; Ganglbauer 1895: 32 ; Fenyes 1920: 403 ; Bernhauer and Scheerpeltz 1926: 781 ; Portevin 1929: 236 ; Palm 1972: 426 ; Lohse 1974: 296 ; Klimaszewski 1984: 46 ; Smetana 2004: 360 .

Aleochara vaga Erichson 1839: 172 .

Aleochara deserta Erichson 1839: 173 .

Aleochara decorata Aubé 1850: 311 .

Aleochara armitagei Wollaston 1854: 559 .

Aleochara badia Motschulsky 1858: 237 .

Oxypoda sanguinolenta Motschulsky 1858: 241 .

Oxypoda brunnescens Motschulsky 1858: 243 .

Aleochara dubia Fauvel 1863: 428 .

Oxypoda analis MacLeay 1873: 135 .

Baryodma bipartita Casey 1894: 287 .

Aleochara major Eichelbaum 1912: 176 .

Redescription

Length 3.5-5.5 mm. Body reddish brown; antennomeres 1-3, elytra, and legs brown; elytra bicolored. Antennomeres 1-3 elongate, 4 longer than wide, 5 subquadrate, and 6-10 transverse. Mouthparts. Labrum transverse, bearing approximately 11 small, setae, and approximately 19 long setae, a-seta, b-seta, and pores present; b-seta rounded at tip (arrow indicates b-seta, Fig. 4b). Labium with pseudopores in median area; approximately 3 real pores and pseudopores present in lateral area; a pair of basal pores present (Fig. 4c). Ligula with approximately 2 pairs of small setae apically (Fig. 4c). Labial palpi with large a-, b-, and f-seta of 12 setae present ( a–h , α-δ); β-seta close to twin pores (tp); c-seta higher than d-seta (Fig. 4d). Mentum transverse, bearing 4 pairs of main setae (b, u, v, w), and 4 extra setae, and pores present (Fig. 4e). Thorax. Elytral latero-posterior margin emarginate. Abdomen. Abdominal tergite VIII with many short setae and pores; posterior margin weakly emarginate (Fig. 4f). Abdominal sternite VIII with many short setae and pores; apical margin rounded on male (Fig. 4g) and truncated on female (Fig. 4h). Genitalia. Median lobe as in Figs 4j and k. Paramere with fovea absent in hinge zone (Fig. 4i). Spermatheca coiled in duct (Fig. 4l).

Material examined.

2, Seoguipo-city, Jeju Prov., Korea, 18.VI.1985 , K.-S. Lee; 1, Anseong, Muju-gun, Jeonbuk Prov., Korea, 5.VI.1988 , G.-S. Jang; 22, Reunion 22-23.I.1992 , Ravine de St. Gilles Bassin Cormoran, J. Janaj lgt; 1, Philippinen, Manila, Luy, 2.XI.1914 ; 1, Argentina, Prov. Tucuman, 450m, I 1905 , Steinbach; 1, N. Palawan, Bakuit, 12. XI– 22.XII 1913, Bottcher; 4, Sud algérien : Mrhaier 120 Km S de Biskra, 14.V.1954 , G. Fagel; 4, China, B. M. 1980-491, P. M. Hammond, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Baiyunshan, 27.IX.80; 4, China, B. M. 1980-491, P. M. Hammond, Guizhou, 20m, S. Guilin, 22.IX.80; 1, Japan, Honshu, B. M. 1980-492, P. M. Hammond, Nara, ft of Mt. Kasuga, 20.VIII.80; 2, Japan, Sharp Coll., 1905-313; 4, Japan, G. Lewis, 1910-320.

Distribution.

Japan, Korea, Asia, Europe, North Africa, North America (see Smetana, 2004: 360).

See Klimaszewski (1984) for additional synonymies and references. less ↑

Aleochara is an unusual 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 Aleochara whose life histories are known, are parasitoids; they feed in the puparia of suitable species of flies, killing the host in the process. Adult Aleochara are predators. less ↑