Oxyporinae

Oxyporinae
	Oxyporus mexicanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Staphyliniformia
Superfamily:	Staphylinoidea
Family:	Staphylinidae
Subfamily:	Oxyporinae; Erichson, 1839
Genera and species
	Oxyporus Oxyporus mexicanus; Oxyporus femoralis; 4 more unnamed species; ;

The Oxyporinae are a subfamily of the Staphylinidae discovered in 1839 by Erichson.^[1] One genus, Oxyporus Fabricius, with six species, is found in North America.

Anatomy

All Oxyporinae have prominent mandibles. Their apical labial palpomeres are very large and strongly securiform. Their tarsi, like most Staphylinidae, are 5-5-5.

Oxyporus mexicanus
Oxyporus mexicanus
Oxyporus femoralis

Ecology

Most Oxyporinae are fungivores. Their whole lifecycle involves fungi, as females construct egg-laying chambers in fungi and reproduce in them. Thus, most scientists inspect mushrooms and fleshy fungi to find these creatures.

References

^ Newton, A. F., Jr., M. K. Thayer, J. S. Ashe, and D. S. Chandler. 2001. 22. Staphylinidae Latreille, 1802. p. 272–418. In: R. H. Arnett, Jr., and M. C. Thomas (eds.). American beetles, Volume 1. CRC Press; Boca Raton, FL. ix + 443 p.

External links

Oxyporinae at Bugguide.net. [1]

[1] Newton, A. F., Jr., M. K. Thayer, J. S. Ashe, and D. S. Chandler. 2001. 22. Staphylinidae Latreille, 1802. p. 272–418. In: R. H. Arnett, Jr., and M. C. Thomas (eds.). American beetles, Volume 1. CRC Press; Boca Raton, FL. ix + 443 p.

[1]