MONOGRAPH OF WEST INDIAN STAPHYLINIDAE 51 



Specimens examined. — The type is the only example seen. 



Remarks. — This species belongs to the subgenus Zirophoi'us as de- 

 fined by Sharp (1887, \). 711). There is at least considerable doubt 

 of the West Indian records, and I expect that further collecting will 

 show the species to be strictly South American. 



Nothing has been recorded concerning the habits of this species. 



Subfamily Omaliinae 



This subfamily is poorly represented in most tropical regions but 

 may be immediately recognized by the pair of ocelli on the vertex of 

 the head. Ocelli occur in no other West Indian staphylinids, but a 

 single ocellus does occur in species of at least one other group in 

 other parts of the world. These beetles commonly occur on flowers 

 but with us are often taken on decaying fruit. 



Two genera are here recorded from the West Indies. 



KEY TO WEST INDIAN GENERA OF OMALIINAE 



1. Mesostermim usually more or less carinate; coarsely ijunctate 



above IV. Omalium 



Mesosternum not carinate; not coarsely punctate above III. Phloeonomus 



III. Genus PHLOEONOMUS Heer 



Phloeonomus Heeb, 1838a, p. 184. 



Distemmus I/kConte, 1861, p. G9. 



Phlaeonotmis Fauvel, 186.Sa, p. 48 (misspelling). 



Subgenus Phloeostiba Thomson, 1861, p. 208. 



Subgenus Xylostiha Ganglbauer, 1895, p. 731. 



Subgenus Xanthonomus Bebnhaueb, 1926, p. 312. 



Genotypes. — Omaliunb pusillum GrsiVQuhoTst = PhloeonoTn/us pusil- 

 lus (Gravenhorst) (designated here) ; of Distemmus, Trogophloeus 

 argus LieConte^ Distemmus argus (LeConte) (monobasic) ; of Phloe- 

 ostiba., Staphylinus planus Paykull=(9m^?mm planum (PaykuU) of 

 Gy\\(i\\\\?L\ = Phloeostiba plana (Paykull) of Thomson (designated 

 here) ; of Xylostiha., Omalium moniUcorne Gy\\Qw\v<\\ = Phloeonomus 

 (Xylostiba) monilicomis (Gyllenhal) (monobasic); of Xanthono- 

 mus, Phloeonomus {Xanthonomus) toxopeanus Bernhauer (mono- 

 basic). 



Diagnosis. — Body depressed; head subtriangular ; Avith two ocelli 

 posteriorly; gula wide, narrowed anteriorly; antennae moderately 

 long, five apical segments enlarged and densely pubescent; labrum 

 transverse, truncate or somewhat rounded; mandible short; third 

 segment of maxillary palpus enlarged, fourth more slender and 

 nearly as long as first three; pronotum transverse; anterior coxal 

 cavities confluent, widely open behind ; anterior coxae transverse, not 



