SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT 



METHOD OF TREATMENT 



It has been my endeavor throughout this monograph to present 

 in uniform style all the information known for each species. Thus 

 I have included keys to genera and species, complete synonymy, a 

 standardized description, the exact type locality, the disposition of 

 all types, all known records, the number and locations of all speci- 

 mens I have examined, notes regarding the relationships and other 

 items of interest, and what is known of the habits of the species. 

 What my intention has been in each of these phases is indicated in 

 the following paragraphs. In the case of genera it has not been pos- 

 sible to give as exhaustive a treatment. The synonymy with original 

 citations, the genotypes of all names, a diagnosis of the important 

 characters, and notes on relationships are given in each case. 



All keys given are original and are frequently based on characters 

 that have not been coimnonly recorded in the past. Many of these 

 are structural characters described in a previous study of the mor- 

 phology of the Staphylinidae (Blackwelder, 1936). No attempt 

 whatsoever has been made to make the keys natural or to make them 

 present a regular classification. They are considered to be purely 

 artificial aids to the identification of the species, although in some 

 cases the resulting arrangement may coincide with a natural group- 

 ing. For my conception of the arrangement of the groups one should 

 consult the Systematic Catalog (p. 562). 



In the generic synonymy all names are listed that have been used 

 as genera or subgenera and are now considered synonyms or sub- 

 genera. The latter are treated as synonyms except for the indi- 

 cation of their usual status. Wherever possible, misspellings and 

 nomina nuda are included since there is always some chance that 

 further information will change their status. The generic synon- 

 ymy is based principally on two sources: The Junk Coleopterorum 

 Catalogus (Bernhauer, Schubert, and Scheerpeltz, 1910 to 1934) 

 and new synonyms discovered during the present study. The new 

 synonymy is not indicated as such in the list but is usually discussed 

 in the "Remarks" at the end of the diagnosis. Exceptions to the 

 above are the subfamily Paederinae and the tribe Lispinini. In 

 these all the synonymy is based on new studies of the genotypes, 

 undertaken as necessary sidelines of the present study and recently 



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