Introduction. The name of each listed species is followed by up to five sources that report the species as occurring in Michigan. Sources in all upper-case letters refer to specific insect collections: MSU-ARC refers to material held by the Michigan State University Arthropod Research Collection (data provided by G. Parsons). All others refer to collection data extracted from the Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN) database online at https://scan-bugs.org/. See the Methods page for a list of abbreviations and associated collections.

Species names preceded by a single '?' are considered probable (for occurring in Michigan) but uncertain records. Those preceded by '??' are considered possible but unlikely to occur in Michigan. Species that are fully accepted as having valid Michigan records are unmarked. Species reported in the literature that we consider to be erroneous Michigan records are in a separate list following the others.

The main difficulty in the Histeridae is the paucity of recent publications mentioning Michigan records.  Many of the species in our list for Michigan are reported only in pre-1925 publications or in Downie and Arnett (1996).  Fortunately, the MSU-ARC collection has specimens of some of those species, so for those we have been able to confirm their presence in Michigan.

HISTERIDAE

7 subfamilies, 10 tribes, 29 genera, 81 species

Subfamily Abraeinae

Tribe Abraeini

Plegaderus sayi Marseul, 1856: Downie and Arnett (1996), Hatch (1924), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Bousquet and Laplante (2006), MSU-ARC

?Plegaderus transversus (Say, 1825): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); known from WI, MI record needs confirmation

Tribe Acritini

Acritus exiguus (Erichson, 1834): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

??Acritus strigosus LeConte, 1853: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); mostly eastern & Gulf coast although Blatchley (1910) has it in central IN

Aeletes politus (LeConte, 1853): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; also known from WI, IN, NY, ON, etc.

?Aeletes simplex (J.E. LeConte, 1844): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); reported from WI & IN

Tribe Teretriini

Teretrius americanus LeConte, 1860: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; also known from IN & NY

Subfamily Dendrophilinae

Tribe Bacaniini

??Bacanius misellus LeConte, 1853: FMNH:FMNHINS; mostly a FL species

Bacanius punctiformis (LeConte, 1853): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

?Bacanius tantillus LeConte, 1853: FMNH:FMNHINS; an uncommon species that ranges from WI & LA to the Atlantic coast

Tribe Dendrophilini

Dendrophilus punctatus (Herbst, 1791): Schwarz (1876), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Dendrophilus xavieri Marseul, 1873: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

Tribe Paromalini

Carcinops pumilio (Erichson, 1834): Moore and Kaufman (2017), MSU-ARC

Paromalus bistriatus Erichson, 1834: Haack and Ruesink (2020), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Paromalus seeversi (Wenzel, 1936): Moore and Kaufman (2017), FMNH:FMNHINS

?Paromalus seminulum Erichson, 1834: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC; MSU specimens very probably are this species, but we're not 100% certain. Known from IL & OH.

Paromalus teres LeConte, 1878: LeConte (1878), Leng (1920); described from a specimen from "Sault St. Marie", presumably MI not ON

Platylomalus aequalis (Say, 1835): Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

Xestipyge geminatum (LeConte, 1860): Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

Subfamily Haeteriinae

Haeterius tristriatus Horn, 1874: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; MSU has 2 specimens coll. in Oakland Co. in 1923 by A.W. Andrews; otherwise this species has not been reported east of Manitoba, Canada.

Subfamily Histerinae

Tribe Exosternini

Phelister subrotundus (Say, 1825): Caterino and Tishechkin (2019), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Phelister vernus (Say, 1825): Townsend (1889), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Tribe Histerini

Atholus americanus (Paykull, 1811): Downie and Arnett (1996), Hatch (1924), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Atholus bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1758): Downie and Arnett (1996), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Atholus falli (Bickhardt, 1912): Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

??Atholus georgiensis Johnson, 1992: Downie and Arnett (1996); a replacement name for A. exaratus (LeConte); described from Georgia & Carolinas, not clear if this sp. can be in MI, although Blatchley (1910) has it in IN

Atholus perplexus (LeConte, 1863): Hatch (1924), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Atholus sedecemstriatus (Say, 1825): Haack and Ruesink (2020), Andrews (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Hister abbreviatus Fabricius, 1775: Hatch (1924), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC; 50+ specimens in the MSU collection, some w/IDs by M. Caterino

?Hister civilis J.E. LeConte, 1845: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); known from WI & eastward so should be here

Hister curtatus J.E. LeConte, 1844: Downie and Arnett (1996), Leng (1920), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Hister depurator Say, 1825: Casey (1916), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC; type locality for syn. H. perbrevis Casey is Ionia Co., MI

Hister furtivus J.E. LeConte, 1860: Egan and Moon (2013), Hatch (1924), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878)

Hister paykullii Kirby, 1837: Egan and Moon (2013)

Margarinotus brunneus (Fabricius, 1775): Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC, FMNH:FMNHINS

Margarinotus cognatus (J.E. LeConte, 1844): Wenzel (1936), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC; the Wenzel (1936) & Hubbard and Schwarz (1878) publications may have been refering to what is now known as M. lecontei, but MSU-ARC does have two old specimens from Detroit.

Margarinotus confusus Wenzel, 1944: FMNH:FMNHINS; one specimen from Livingston Co., Pinckney Recreation Area, det. by R.L. Wenzel

Margarinotus egregius (Casey, 1916): Casey (1916), Downie and Arnett (1996), FMNH:FMNHINS; Casey (1916) had a MI specimen in hand when he described this sp.

Margarinotus faedatus (J.E. LeConte, 1845): Egan and Moon (2013), Andrews (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

Margarinotus hudsonicus (Casey, 1893): FMNH:FMNHINS; FMNH has 5 specimens from 3 MI localities, also known from WI

Margarinotus immunis (Erichson, 1834): Downie and Arnett (1996), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), FMNH:FMNHINS; also known from all sides of MI

Margarinotus interruptus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1805): Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Margarinotus lecontei Wenzel, 1944: Wenzel (1944), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC; this sp. went under the name cognatus LeConte in the older literature (Wenzel 1944)

?Margarinotus marginicollis (J.E. LeConte, 1845): Hatch (1924) as Hister marginicollis Lec.; reported from IL, IN, WI & ON

Margarinotus merdarius (Hoffmann, 1803): Andrews (1923), Casey (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Psiloscelis corrosa Casey, 1893: Moore and Kaufman (2017), FMNH:FMNHINS

Psiloscelis planipes (LeConte, 1852): FMNH:FMNHINS; 1 MI specimen, from Marquette, det. by R.L. Wenzel

Spilodiscus biplagiatus (LeConte, 1845): Caterino (1998), MSU-ARC

Tribe Hololeptini

Hololepta aequalis Say, 1825: Andrews (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), BugGuide, Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Tribe Platysomatini

Eblisia carolina (Paykull, 1811): Townsend (1886), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

?Platysoma basale LeConte, 1862: Downie and Arnett (1996), Andrews (1923), Leng (1920), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); described by LeConte based on an Ohio specimen & Blatchley (1910) has it in central IN

Platysoma coarctatum J.E. LeConte, 1844: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Platysoma cylindricum (Paykull, 1811): Leng (1920), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Platysoma deficiens (Casey, 1924): Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; also reported from WI and across most of southern Canada

Platysoma gracile J.E. LeConte, 1845: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; reported from Manitoba, MO & AL and eastward to the Atlantic

Platysoma leconti Marseul, 1853: Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Platysoma parallelum (Say, 1825): Peck and Thomas (1998), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Leng (1920)

Subfamily Onthophilinae

?Onthophilus deflectus Helava, 1978: Downie and Arnett (1996), FMNH:FMNHINS; also known from WI & ON

Onthophilus pluricostatus J.E. LeConte, 1844: Bezanson and Floate (2019), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Subfamily Saprininae

Euspilotus assimilis (Paykull, 1811): Pastula and Merritt (2013), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

?Euspilotus conformis (J.E. LeConte, 1845): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996); reported from WI & IN and eastward

?Euspilotus detractus (Casey, 1893): Downie and Arnett (1996), Leng (1920), SI:NMNH; reported from n. IL & IN

Geomysaprinus moniliatus (Casey, 1916): FMNH:FMNHINS, Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC; FMNH has several MI specimens some IDed by R.L. Wenzel

??Geomysaprinus obsidianus (Casey, 1893): FMNH:FMNHINS; a SE US sp., not expected to occur in MI

??Geomysaprinus posthumus (Marseul, 1855): FMNH:FMNHINS; a far southern sp., not expected to occur in MI

?Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC; palaearctic, earliest NA record 1844 (Majka, 2008); ID of MSU specimen uncertain

?Hypocaccus bigener (J.E. LeConte, 1844): Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), FMNH:FMNHINS

?Hypocaccus fitchi (Marseul, 1862): Downie and Arnett (1996), Andrews (1916), Leng (1920)

Hypocaccus fraternus (Say, 1825): Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), BugGuide

Hypocaccus iris (Fall, 1919): Wenzel (1944)

Hypocaccus patruelis (J.E. LeConte, 1845): Andrews (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Psiloscelis corrosa Casey, 1893: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Psiloscelis perpunctata (LeConte, 1880): Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Saprinus distinguendus Marseul, 1855: Bezanson and Floate (2019), Hatch (1924), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC

?Saprinus lugens Erichson, 1834: Andrews (1916), Hatch (1924), Downie and Arnett (1996)

?Saprinus oregonensis J.E. LeConte, 1844: Downie and Arnett (1996), Leng (1920)

Saprinus pensylvanicus (Paykull, 1811): Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

Saprinus subnitescens Bickhardt, 1909: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Subfamily Tribalinae

?Caerosternus americanus (J.E. LeConte, 1844): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878) as Tribalus americanus Lec.; known from WI, IN & PA

Epierus pulicarius Erichson, 1834: Ruesink and Parsons (2023), MSU-ARC

Epierus regularis (Palisot de Beauvois, 1818): Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC

The following species were reported from Michigan, but we consider them to be adventive, misidentifications or other errors:

Subfamily Dendrophilinae

Tribe Bacaniini

Bacanius hatchi Wenzel, 1960: FMNH:FMNHINS; Berrien Co., a west coast sp., FMNH staff report that the specimen label actually says prob. a new sp. near hatchi

Subfamily Histerinae

Tribe Histerini

Atholus nubilus (LeConte, 1859): Andrews (1916) as Hister nubilus Lec.; a Great Plains sp., should not be in MI

Subfamily Onthophilinae

Onthophilus alternatus (Say, 1825): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); a SE US sp., should not occur in MI

This family list was last updated: December 17, 2022