Physetops Mannerheim, 1830

SMETANA, ALEŠ & DAVIES, ANTHONY, 2000, Reclassification of the North Temperate Taxa Associated with Staphylinus Sensu Lato, Including Comments on Relevant Subtribes of Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), American Museum Novitates 3287, pp. 1-1 : 1-

Physetops Mannerheim, 1830

TYPE SPECIES: Staphylinus tataricus Pallas, 1773 .

COMMENTS: Members of this genus share the following character states: ( 1) dorsal portion of neck continuous with dorsal surface of head, due to absence of dorsal portion of nuchal ridge ( fig. 115 ); ( 2) disc of head and pronotum micropunctulate between larger punctures ( fig. 115 ); and ( 3) middle abdominal tergites notably swollen, especially in apical half, as convex as sternites, together with convexity of pronotum and length of elytra and body, giving body an overall cylindrical appearance.

Further character states include: mandibles long, each with one blunt tooth on medial edge, dorsolateral ridge weak and relatively close to margin; prostheca long, thin, lanceolate, with short ciliae along medial margin, becoming progressively longer to moderate near apex; palpifer with one long subapical and two shorter apical setae; apical segment of both labial and maxillary palpus setose; apex of last segment of labial palpus obliquely widened; submentum broadly inwardly ar­ cuate, without bead; postmandibular ridge rudimentary; gular sutures most approximate distinctly anteriad of middle, gradually widely diverging posteriad; postgenal ridge distinct only laterally; lateral portion of nuchal ridge directed anteriad toward transverse postgenal ridge; superior line of pronotal hypomeron markedly and relatively abruptly deflected ventrad near middle of pronotum, deflected portion of pronotal disc visible from well behind broadest portion of hypomeron in ventral view; superior and inferior lines of pronotal hypomeron almost coalesce at margin of coxal cavity, then run very closely parallel along entire lateral margin of prosternum; pronotal epimeron absent; prosternal basisternite sloping very gradually from anterior margin almost to sternacostal ridge medially, furcasternum abruptly declivous, forming a sharp toothlike process medially at sternacostal ridge; intercoxal depression relatively long, shallow; long serial setae on mesosternum originating in large, rounded depressions forming an irregular Ushaped ridge; apex of mesosternal intercoxal process acute, forming a blunt toothlike process, with a rounded carina extending into the moderately depressed mesocoxal acetabulum behind; anterior metasternal projection with margins converging highly obtusely, very broadly rounded apically; dorsal apicolateral lobe of metacoxa usually with one distinctly subapical, coarse spine, and several finer ones in an uneven series basad to it.

Figures

Figs. 111–116. 111. Dinothenarus pubescens, pronotum showing both marginal lines of pronotal hypomeron, and two lateral macrosetae, lateral view. 112. Staphylinus erythropterus, pronotum showing both marginal lines of pronotal hypomeron, and two lateral macrosetae, lateral view. 113. Ocypus ophthalmicus ophthalmicus, pronotum showing both marginal lines of pronotal hypomeron, and two lateral macrosetae, ventrolateral view. 114. Ocypus nitens semialatus, pronotum showing both marginal lines of pronotal hypomeron, and two lateral macrosetae, lateral view. 115. Physetops sp., dorsal face of neck, with dorsal portion of nuchal ridge missing. 116. Ontholestes cingulatus, dorsal face of neck, with nuchal ridge.