Clarification of the Status of the Subgenus Planityphlus Park (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

Generic Revisions of the Scopaeina and the Sphaeronina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae: Lathrobiini)

“…Trichobothria, cited as a furrow with a long seta [in the present work as a “trichoid sensillum”] or furrow with a setigerous tubercule, were discovered in the Scopaeina and published first for Orus and Nivorus (= Micranops ) (Herman, 1965a, 1965b) and a few years later for Scopaeus (Fagel, 1973: 18). Frisch et al, (2002a: 35) defined the subtribe by the slender neck, oblong pronotum strongly tapered toward the anterior margin, quadridentate labrum, unidentate laterotergite of tergite IX, and two-piece spermatheca, but omitted mention of the trichobothrium and tripartite ligula.…”

“…Until then the structure was described but incorrectly named with a phrase. The first mention of the structure in the Scopaeina, species of Orus (including subgenus Nivorus [= Micranops ]) were reported to have a “postorbital furrow with setigerous tubercle,” “setigerous furrow present above or behind eye,” or “furrow containing a long seta” (Herman, 1965a, 1965b). Fagel (1973: 18) described the structure for Scopaeus as “un fort pore supra-oculaire d'où naît une très longue soie pâle.” Later the structure was referred to in Micranops as a “setiferous furrow behind the eye” (Frisch et al, 2002a: 35).…”

“…Species of the subtribe are primarily ground-dwelling animals that live cryptically in the debris of upper layers of sandy or gravelly soil in moist habitats with organic detritus. They are typically collected near streams and rivers in leaf litter and debris and under stones or in gravel on damp, sandy soil of sunny or moderately shaded banks, and far less commonly on shaded forest floors in moist leaf litter and organic ground debris or in caves (Frisch et al, 2002a; 28; Frisch and Oromi, 2006; Herman, 1965a, 1965b; personal obs.). How trichobothria, how trichoid sensilla function in the perhaps restricted space of these upper layers of gravel, sand, debris, slightly moist leaf litter is difficult to fathom.…”

“…158) is solid and lacks a midlongitudinal split, thereby separating it from Hyperscopaeus . For the other scopaeine genera, the dorsal surface of the medial lobe also has a midlongitudinal split, except for Orus ( Leucorus ) for which there is a median, oval sclerite surrounded by membrane (Herman, 1965a: 113, figs. 2d, 3d; erroneously stated as ventral view).…”

“…Nivorus Herman, 1965a: 119. Type species: Orus cameroni Blackwelder, 1943: 278, fixed by original designation.…”