[ID] Staphylinid: Lesteva or Proteinus sp.?

[Jason Green]

Hi all,

I got out 'In the field' for the first time this year, and wasn't dissapointed! I found this small specimen - 3-5mm-ish, I'd say. Whilst the general proportions say Lesteva sp., the pronotum says Proteinus sp. so any thoughts on this appreciated! He was an obliging individual, though eventually took flight.

28/01/2010

3-5mm, scrubby environment

Thank you for reading!

Take care,

Jason

[Jason Green]

Through further research I am happy with Proteinus ovalis

The pronotum being wider at the base where it meets the frontal area of the elytra, and the two basal segments of the antennae being chunkier - both point to Proteinus over Lesteva. Image researching shows ovalis having orangey highlights to the pronotum and frontal elytra. Overall the antenna are of a more uniform diameter than any images of other species in the genus.

[oxycera]

I wonder if it is a species of Megarthrus?

[Jason Green]

Ah, a genus I haven't heard of. Any pointers to this one?

[JRsbugs]

There's a lot of look-alikes! This has given me the run around

Megarthrus sinuatocollis I thought was similar, but Megarthrus denticollis is closer. Look in Proteininae under Staphylinidae

Coleoptera - photo gallery beetles - Fotogalerie Kfer

Megarthrus denticollis ..

Megarthrus denticollis

[Jason Green]

Ah, thanks Janet - looks a good match! Thanks both

We seem to have five Megarthrus spp. in the UK. Distributions taken into account I think it's between M. denticollis/depressus.

[JRsbugs]

I found an article on a site which had to be paid for to get the whole thing, but I copied the title and found the pdf on a Russian site. The words in the link said..

Megarthrus denticollis is the only European species which has the

So if you can find the rest the clue might be there! I'm wondering if the species name denticollis is the clue?

http://www.zin.ru/ANIMALIA/COLEOPTER..._lobl_1997.pdf

There is a key if you scroll down a few pages, if you can follow it!