Invertebrate Cave Fauna 
81 
Fig. 30. Distribution of troglobitic beetles ( Arianops , Batriasymmodes, and 
Pseudanophthalmus ) in the study area. Single locality for P. potomaca in 
Pendleton County, W.Va., also shown. 
(see Park 1965, Barr 1987), and Batrisodes globosus, a trogloxene 
widespread in eastern North America and recorded from single caves in 
Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia (Holsinger and Peck 1971). Priono- 
chaeta opaca , a trogloxenic leiodid, is recorded from a single cave in 
Virginia but is widespread in eastern North America and reported from 
caves elsewhere in the southeastern United States (Peck 1977). 
Most of the cavernicolous staphylinid beetles are in three 
subfamilies— Aleocharinae, Omaliinae, and Staphylininae. Although 
fairly common and sometimes moderately abundant in caves, none is a 
troglobite. The systematics of the aleocharines, previously poorly known, 
is being revised by J. Klimaszewski and S. B. Peck (Klimaszewski 1984, 
Klimaszewski and Peck 1986). Aleochara lucifuga appears to be the 
most frequently seen member of the subfamily in regional caves, but 
Aloconota insecta and Atheta annexa are also relatively common and 
widespread. Outside the study area, all of these aleocharines are found 
in a number of cave areas in the southeastern United States. 
The omaliine Brathinus nitidus (sometimes placed in the family 
Brathinidae) is widespread in eastern North America and reported from 
caves in several states (Peck 1975a). 
