A Taxonomic Study On The Genus Philonthus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) From Yunnan Prov. And Xizang A.R. Of China

Staphylinidae is one of the largest family in Coleoptera. They occupy almost all kinds of habitats in the world and feed on a wide range of food. They are generally considered predators, but some groups have evolved as mycophagous, coprophagous, carpophagous, pollinophagous and so on. Some species have been adapted to be parasitic to mammals. Their plenty in number and multifarious in variety makes them have close relationship with our mankind.Philonthus is one of the largest genera of the subfamily Staphylininae in the family Staphylinidae. It was established by Stephens in 1829, type species of Philonthus: Staphylinus splendens Fabricius (1793) designated by Curtis in 1836 by subsequent designation. Up to the present 1261 species of the genus have been studied all over the world. They are distributed in all faunas of the world. There are 94 species known in China, of which 73 in the Mainland, 11 in Taiwan, and 10 in both Mainland and Taiwan.In China, however, taxonomic study on this genus is relatively dropped behind and only a few scholars studied isolatedly in this field. So far, very little information has been published and consequently systematic study on the subject is urgent. A great number of the studied species of China were described by foreign scholars and the type specimens were collected in foreign countries. So it is great difficult for us to study Chinese fauna.As an important part of Chinese Philonthus fauna, this study was based on the examinations of about 270 specimen which were collected from a lot of places in Yunnan Prov. and Xizang A.R., such as Hutiaoxia Coun., Tengchong Coun., Lijiang City, Nabanhe Cons., Xishuangbanna Area, Motuo Coun., Linzhi Area, Mt. Mila, Milin Coun., Lasa City and so on. The results of my research can be summarized as follows:1. This paper was the first systematic study on the species of Philonthus from Yunnan Prov. and Xizang A.R. of China.2. In this paper, 22 species of Philonthus in this district were recognized, of which 15 species were diagnosed as new to science and 3 were new to China.3. All the species were described in detail and their main diagnostic characters were illustrated. The plates of each species were also provided. The historic review, collecting methods and main diagnostic characters of the genus were discussed.4. The key to the species of Philonthus from Yunnan Prov. and Xizang A.R. was presented.5. A catalog of the genus Philonthus of China was given.6. A database including all the studied species of the genus Philonthus all over the world was delicately built.