Dasycerus spp.

Ferro, Michael L., Gimmel, Matthew L., Harms, Kyle E. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2012, Comparison of the Coleoptera communities in leaf litter and rotten wood in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, Insecta Mundi 2012 (259), pp. 1-58 : 20

Dasycerus spp. ( Fig. 35 )

Comments. This genus contains three species known from the Appalachian Mountains. Löbl and Calame (1996) provided a key to species. Our specimens could not be identified due to time constraints and uncertainty about the presence of undescribed species. Range: southern Appalachian: Virginia to Georgia. Habitat: moist broadleaf forest litter. Collection Method: sifting/Berlese forest litter. Biology: eastern species are wingless with small eyes, dissected females have only been found with a single egg, known to occur on fruiting fungi, but may not specifically feed on them. Present Study: significantly higher abundance in leaf litter, secondary forest, and spring. References: Wheeler and McHugh 1994; Löbl and Calame 1996; Newton et al. 2001.

Figures

Figures 31–36. Habitus images. 31) Leptusa gimmeli Park and Carlton (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). 32) Leptusa pusio (Casey) (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). 33) Leptusa sp. (Casey) (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). 34) Myllaena sp. (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). 35) Dasycerus sp. (Staphylinidae: Dasycerinae). 36) Thoracophorus costalis (Erichson) (Staphylinidae: Osoriinae).