Family Staphylinidae

The family Staphylinidae is the second-largest family of beetles (order Coleoptera) in the world, with over 48,000 species named so far. In North America, its 4,000+ known species make it the largest family of insects, not just beetles.

Many more new species of rove beetles are named and described by scientists every year - about 600 more worldwide. Rove beetles live in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems -- only the driest deserts keep them from getting much of a claw-hold, and even in deserts they can be found in moist spots near streams or in rotting plant material.

As far as known, most species are predaceous, feeding on small insects or other invertebrates, but some have shifted to feeding on various kinds of fungi, decaying leaves or wood, or pollen. Below is a tiny selection of staphylinids from various places.

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All photos ©Margaret K. Thayer

Microsilpha litorea Broun New Zealand	Platydracus vividus (Sharp) Central America	Omalium meximontanum Thayer USA: Arizona & New Mexico to Honduras
Xylodromus suteri Thayer Canada to Mexico	Amphichroum floribundum LeConte [female] USA: California to Mexico: Baja California	Lispinodes new species USA: Illinois and Michigan
	Megalopinus sanguinitriguttatus Scheerpeltz Chile