One new genus and nine new species of Staphylinidae are described from Baltic amber, namely Palaeosepedophilus gen.n. and the species P. succinicus sp.n., Lathrobium balticum sp.n., Lathrobium succini sp.n., Lathrobium ambricum sp.n., Lathrobium jantaricum sp.n., Sepedophilus balticus sp.n., Dictyon antiquus sp.n., Phymatura electrica sp.n., Aleochara baltica sp.n. Their affinity with related species is discussed.
The genus Dasytricheta Bernhauer, 1943 is redefined. The genus Pyromecroma Cameron, 1945 is considered a new synonym of Dasytricheta. Eleven valid species are recognised in the genus: Dasytricheta spectabilis Bernhauer, 1943 (the type species of Dasytricheta), D. funesta (Broun, 1912) comb. n. (the type species of Pyromecroma, originally described in Myrmecopora Saulcy, 1864), and nine species described as new: Dasytricheta haastiana sp. n., D. hookeriana sp. n., D. intermedia sp. n., D. kapuniana sp. n., D. mahitahiana sp. n., D. periana sp. n., D. shotoveriana sp. n., D. testacea sp. n. and D. waihoana sp. n. The taxa are diagnosed, keyed and illustrated. The phylogeny of Dasytricheta is analysed using cladistic methods. The systematic position of Dasytricheta within the Aleocharinae is discussed.
The subgenus Gnypetalia Cameron, 1939 is redefined and raised to the genus rank. Eleven valid species are recognised in the genus, six of which are described as new: Gnypetalia armata sp. n. (Solomon Islands), G. cuccodoroi sp. n. (Philippines: Luzon), G. insularis sp. n. (Solomon Islands), G. luzonica sp. n. (Philippines: Luzon, Palawan), G. nitida sp. n. (Indonesia: Sulawesi) and G. penrisseni sp. n. (Malaysia: Sarawak). One new synonym is established: Gnypetalia parva Cameron, 1950 = Ischnopoda (Caliusa) finitima Pace, 1998 syn. n. Five species are given in new combination: Gnypetalia indica (Cameron, 1939) comb. n (= Gnypeta (Gnypetalia) indica), Gnypetalia parva (Cameron, 1950) comb. n. [= Gnypeta (Gnypetalia) parva], Gnypetalia rougemontiana (Pace, 1986) comb. n [= Tachyusa (Caliusa) rougemontiana], Gnypetalia song (Pace, 1990) comb. n. [= Tachyusa (Caliusa) song] and Gnypetalia thoracica (Fauvel, 1879) comb. n. (= Tachyusa thoracica). Lectotype is designated for Gnypeta indica Cameron, 1939. The taxa are diagnosed, keyed and illustrated. The phylogeny of the aleocharine genus Gnypetalia is analysed using cladistic methods. The monophyly of Gnypetalia is confirmed and three major monophyletic species group are recognised.
The Tachyusa coarctata species group is revised. The species group is defined on the basis of the distinctly asperate punctation on elytra, the dense punctation on tergites III-V with interstices between punctures 1.5-2.0 times their diameter, and the dense, subrecumbent pubescence on the abdomen. The T. coarctata species group is composed of twenty three species restricted in occurrence to the Holarctic and Africa, including one new species described from Iran: Tachyusa frischi sp.n. A revised key to the species in this group is provided. An analysis of the phylogeny of the Tachyusa coarctata species group based on cladistic methods is presented and the phylogenetic relationships among species are discussed.