Creophilus variegatus Mannerheim

Aballay, Fernando H., Chani-Posse, Mariana R., Ayón, María Rosana, Maldonado, María Belén & Centeno, Néstor D., 2014, An illustrated key to and diagnoses of the species of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) associated with decaying carcasses in Argentina, Zootaxa 3860 (2), pp. 101-124 : 113

Creophilus variegatus Mannerheim

( Fig. 11 )

Diagnosis (only referred to general habitus, modified from Clarke 2011). Creophilus variegatus can be recognized by the following characters: antennal segments 1–3 brownish-black, 4–11 variably yellowish-brown and black; antennal segments 9 and 10 narrowed anteriorly and thickened posteriorly, apex of antennal segment 11 convex; pronotum strongly constricted basally with sharply delimited hind angles; pronotum, elytra, and abdomen with extensive pattern of white and golden brown vestiture; elytral cuticle bicoloured, disc reddish-brown, sides and humeri yellowish; elytra with variegated golden, brown, and whitish setae; fifth visible abdominal tergum with extensive whitish setae, especially apicolaterally. Creophilus variegatus is distinguished from C. maxillosus by the body vestiture patterning, antennae and the sharply delimited basal pronotal angles. Length 14.0–17.0 mm.

Distribution. Endemic to South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay ( Clarke 2011).

Bionomics. Creophilus variegatus has been reported from carrion ( Lüderwaldt 1911), and also preying on maggots of calliphorid larvae (Lynch Arribálzaga 1884)

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 12. Habitus: 1, Atheta sp.; 2, Aleochara bonariensis Lynch; 3, A. puberula Klug; 4, A. signaticollis Fairmaire; 5, Anotylus Thomson; 6, Eulissus chalybaeus Mannerheim; 7, Neohypnus sp.; 8, Platydracus chrysotrichopterus Scheerpeltz; 9, Platydracus scabrosus (Curtis); 10; Creophilus maxillosus (Linnaeus); 11. Creophilus variegatus Mannerheim; 12, Belonuchus rufipennis (Fabricius).