A Systematic Study Of Silphidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) From Northeast China

Burying beetles usually feed on animal corpse, some species prey on snail, fly maggot and larvae of moths, and also some species bite plants. Due to its unique bionomics, the burying beetles were not only important foundation used for determine the death time in Frensic entomology, and also some species can used for the pest biological control.A system study of the family Silphidae (Coleoptera) from Northeast China was conducted in the present paper. This paper includes two parts. In the first part, introduction, the domestic and foreign general information, characteristics, method, biological and ecological habit and significance were briefly reviewed; in the second part, classification, 2 subfamilies, 10 genera and 21 species of Silphidae from northeast China were recorded, including one new species: Ptomascopus pseudoplagiatus sp. nov.. Detailed description and general distribution were given for all the species, and the keys to subfamilies, genera and species were provided. Chinese names for some genera and species were given for the first time. Adult and genitalia photos of all the examined species were also provided. All the specimens were deposited in the Insect Collections of Northeast Forestry University.