ALEOCHARINAE (STAPHYLINIDAE, COLEOPTERA) FROM THE INTERTIDAL ZONE OF JAPAN

Abstract

To begin the taxonomic studies of Aleocharinae of the Japanese coasts with the halobious species, nine intertidal species mainly from the Southwest Japan have been investigated. They are highly specialized species living among or under stones between the high and low tide-marks on the seashore. In some species the eyes are small, the integument less chitinized and poorly pigmented. To begin the taxonomic studies of Aleocharinae of the Japanese coasts with the halobious species, nine intertidal species mainly from the Southwest Japan have been investigated. They are highly specialized species living among or under stones between the high and low tide-marks on the seashore. In some species the eyes are small, the integument less chitinized and poorly pigmented. These may be the features adaptive to the life under the sea-water and appearing quite convergently, though their ecological meaning has not yet been cleared. Then, the nominative characters of the Aleocharinae are hazarded and concealed by such convergent appearances and consequently the taxonomic studies of those forms are made considerably difficult. I wish to express my hearty thanks to Dr. T. TOKIOKA and to the staff of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory for their constant help as well as to Prof. R. Yosu for the critical review of the manuscript. Also I am much indebted to Dr. Ian MOORE of the University of California for the gift of valuable specimens.