Staphylinoidea
| Staphylinoidea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Devil's coach horse beetle, Ocypus olens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Staphyliniformia |
| Superfamily: |
Staphylinoidea Latreille, 1802 |
| Families | |
|
See text. |
|
See text.
Staphylinoidea is a superfamily of beetles. It is a very large and diverse group with worldwide distribution.
Most staphylinoids are middle-sized or small beetles with a pair of shortened elytra. The hind wings have no accessory posterior ridge (locking device), no wedge cell and apical cell. Abdominal 8th segment not entirely invaginated in the 7th. Head mostly without coronal suture.
Staphylinoidea contains the following subgroups:
The unambiguous fossil record dates back to Triassic, and an early Mesozoic origin of the group is probable.
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