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Subfamily
Oxytelinae
Members of this subfamily are distinguished from all other
staphylinids by the presence of a complete second sternite so that seven,
rather than six, segments can be counted on the under side of the abdomen.
The eyes are coarsely faceted. There are seven genera with marine members. KEY TO GENERA OF MARINE OXYTELINAE 1. Elytra with rounded inner apical
angles............................................................................2 Elytra with rectangular inner apical
angles. . ......................... .........................
...............5 2. Tarsus
2-segmented .............................................................
..........................Thinobius Tarsus of more than 2 segments.........................
......................... ......................... ........3 3. Tarsus
4-segmented .............................
........................ ......................... ...........Bledius Tarsus 5-segmented.........................
......................... ......................... ........................ 4 4. Pronotal lateral bead present.........................
......................... ..............Psamathobledius Pronotal lateral bead absent. .........................
......................... ..................Microbledius 5. Tarsus 5-segmented
....................................... .................................................Sartallus Tarsus 3-segmented .........................
......................... ......................... ...................... 6 6. Middle coxae contiguous.
......................... .........................
..........................Carpelimus Middle coxae separate
..................................... .........................
.....................Oxytelus Thinobius
Kiesenwetter. More than 100 species have been described in this genus. These
tiny insects are often taken near water, in decaying organic material and at light.
They are dark slender insects, more or less parallel-sided and from under one
to about two mm long. They resemble members of the subfamily Aleocharinae but
are easily distinguished by their coarsely faceted eyes and the fact that the
elytra have the inner apical angles rounded. Two species are recorded from
salt marshes in North America, one from each coast, and one species from
seaweed from Singapore. Bledius Leach. More than 350 species are placed
in Bledius. They are sub-cylindrical with the anterior tibiae
fossorial. The inner apical angles of the elytra are rounded. Members of this
genus are usually found in galleries in sand or mud often at the banks of
streams or in salt marshes, either inland or marine. Usually larvae and
adults are found together. They are often attracted to lights in large
numbers. At least 18 species are recorded from the marine habitat, mostly
from salt marshes. On the Pacific coast of North America, besides several
salt marsh species, one species, B. ornatus LeConte, is found
abundantly in sand bars separating a lagoon from the ocean, and two species, B.
fenyesi Bernhauer and Schubert and B. monstratus Casey are
found in wrack. The ranges of the latter two species do not overlap being separated
by Point Conception, California. |