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.
We are using the classification of Zyla and Solodovnikov (2019), which divided the former Staphilinini into several new tribes.
STAPHYLINIDAE - STAPHYLININAE
6 tribes, 22 genera, 125 species
Tribe Acylophorini
Acylophorus agilis Smetana, 1971: Herman (2001), Smetana (1971), Brunke and Marshall (2011), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Acylophorus alternans Smetana, 1971: Smetana (1971), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Acylophorus caseyi Leng, 1920: Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC
Acylophorus filius Smetana, 1971: Smetana (1973), Herman (2001)
Acylophorus flavicollis Sachse, 1852: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Acylophorus pronus Erichson, 1840: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Anaquedius vernix (LeConte, 1878): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Hemiquedius infinitus Brunke & Smetana, 2017: Brunke et al. (2017); old MI records for Hemiquedius ferox (LeConte) prob. refer to this new species
Tribe Amblyopinini
Heterothops campbelli Smetana, 1971: Herman (2001), Peck and Thomas (1998), Smetana (1982)
Heterothops fumigatus LeConte, 1863: Herman (2001), Smetana (1971), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Heterothops pusio LeConte, 1863: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Tribe Erichsoniini
Erichsonius civicus Frank, 1975: Herman (2001), Frank (1975), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Erichsonius fraterculus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Frank (1975), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Erichsonius inutilis (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Frank (1975), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Erichsonius nanus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Frank (1975), MSU-ARC
Erichsonius parcus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Horn (1884), Leng (1920), MSU-ARC; type localities include Michigan
Erichsonius patella (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Frank (1975), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Erichsonius pusio (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Frank (1975), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Tribe Quediini
Quedius alesi Brunke, 2020: Brunke et al. (2020), MSU-ARC; most MI specimens previously considered erythrogaster are probably this species
Quedius bicoloris Smetana & Webster, 2011: Brunke et al. (2020)
Quedius brunnipennis Mannerheim, 1843: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Quedius canadensis (Casey, 1915): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Quedius capucinus (Gravenhorst, 1806): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Quedius cruentus (Olivier, 1795): Brunke and Marshall (2011)
Quedius divergens caseyi Scheerpeltz, 1933: Smetana (1971), Downie and Arnett (1996)
??Quedius fellmani (Zetterstedt, 1838): Andrews (1923) as Quedius hyperboreus Er.; a far northern sp.
Quedius fulgidus (Fabricius, 1792): Smetana (1971), Brunke and Marshall (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Quedius fulvicollis (Stephens, 1833): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Quedius Iabradorensis Iabradorensis Smetana, 1965: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Quedius laticollis (Gravenhorst, 1802): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Quedius mesomelinus (Marsham, 1802): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Quedius peregrinus (Gravenhorst, 1806): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Quedius plagiatus Mannerheim, 1843: Herman (2001), Smetana (1971), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Quedius rusticus Smetana, 1971: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001)
Quedius simulator Smetana, 1971: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Quedius uteanus (Casey, 1915): Herman (2001), Smetana (1971); Isle Royale
Tribe Staphylinini
Belonuchus rufipennis (Fabricius, 1801): Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Bisnius blandus (Gravenhorst, 1806): Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Bisnius cephalotes (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001)
Bisnius inquietus (Erichson, 1840): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Bisnius quediinus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Bisnius siegwaldii (Mannerheim, 1843): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Brunke and Marshall (2011)
Bisnius sordidus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Townsend (1889), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Creophilus maxillosus (Linnaeus, 1758): Brunke et al. (2011), Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Dinothenarus badipes (LeConte, 1863): Brunke et al. (2011), Herman (2001), Andrews (1916), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Dinothenarus capitatus (Bland, 1864): Brunke et al. (2011), MSU-ARC
Gabrius brevipennis (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Gabrius fallaciosus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Gabrius microphthalmus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Townsend (1889), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Gabrius nigritulus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Gabrius ovaliceps (Fall, 1930): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Gabrius picipennis (Mäklin, 1852): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Gabrius ulpius Smetana, 1995: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Gabronthus thermarum (Aubé, 1850): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Hesperus apicialis (Say, 1830): Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Hesperus baltimorensis (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Laetulonthus laetulus (Say, 1830): Herman (2001), Schwarz (1876), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Neobisnius jucundus (Horn, 1884): Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Neobisnius paederoides (LeConte, 1863): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC
Neobisnius sobrinus (Erichson, 1840): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC
Neobisnius terminalis (LeConte, 1863): Herman (2001), Brunke and Marshall (2011), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
?Ocypus nitens (Schrank, 1781): BugGuide; Mackinac Island, ID from photo by Adam Brunke
Ontholestes cingulatus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Egan and Moon (2013), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus aequalis Horn, 1884: Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus aurulentus Horn, 1884: Herman (2001), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus busiris Smetana, 1995: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus caeruleipennis (Mannerheim, 1830): Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus carbonarius (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Philonthus cognatus Stephens, 1832: Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC; introduced Palearctic species
Philonthus concinnus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Philonthus couleensis Hatch, 1957: Herman (2001), Brunke and Marshall (2011), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus cruentatus (Gmelin, 1790): Herman (2001), Bezanson and Floate (2019), Hatch (1925), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus cunctans Horn, 1884: Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Philonthus debilis (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus discoideus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Philonthus flavibasis Casey, 1915: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus flumineus Casey, 1915: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
?Philonthus furvus Nordmann, 1837: Andrews (1923)
Philonthus fusiformis Melsheimer, 1844: Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Philonthus gracilior Casey, 1915: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus hepaticus Erichson, 1840: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus jurgans Tottenham, 1937: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus lindrothi Smetana, 1965: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Brunke and Marshall (2011)
Philonthus lomatus Erichson, 1840: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus longicornis Stephens, 1832: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Townsend (1889), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878)
Philonthus micans (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Philonthus neonatus Smetana, 1965: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Brunke and Marshall (2011), MSU-ARC
Philonthus opacipennis Notman, 1919: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
Philonthus palliatus (Gravenhorst, 1806): Herman (2001), MSU-ARC
Philonthus politus (Linnaeus, 1758): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus pseudolodes Smetana, 1996: Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC
Philonthus quadricollis Horn, 1884: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hatch (1925), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus rectangulus Sharp, 1874: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hatch (1925), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus rufulus Horn, 1884: Herman (2001)
Philonthus schwarzi Horn, 1884: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996)
Philonthus sericans (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
?Philonthus sericinus Horn, 1884: Andrews (1916); WI,IL,IN,OH,ON in Smetana (1995)
?Philonthus sessor Smetana, 1965: Ruesink and Parsons (2024), MSU-ARC; WI,ON in Smetana (1995), we did not check genitalia so ID is tentative
Philonthus thoracicus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus umbratilis (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Philonthus umbrinoides Smetana, 1995: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995)
??Philonthus umbrinus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Andrews (1916), Andrews (1923), Townsend (1889); IL,IN in Smetana (1995)
Philonthus validus Casey, 1915: Herman (2001), Smetana (1995), MSU-ARC
Philonthus varians (Paykull, 1789): Herman (2001), Smetana (1995),Townsend (1889),MSU-ARC
Philonthus varro Smetana, 1995: Smetana (1995)
Philonthus ventralis (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Philonthus vulgatus Casey, 1915: Herman (2001), Brunke and Marshall (2011), Smetana (1995)
Platydracus cinnamopterus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus exulans (Erichson, 1839): Brunke et al. (2011)
??Platydracus femoratus (Fabricius, 1801): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878) as Staphylinus varipes Sachse; a more southern sp., not likely to be in MI
Platydracus fossator (Gravenhorst, 1802): Herman (2001), Brunke et al. (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Platydracus immaculatus (Mannerheim, 1830): Brunke et al. (2011), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus maculosus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus mysticus (Erichson, 1840): Brunke et al. (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus praetermissus Newton, 2011: Brunke et al. (2011)
Platydracus tomentosus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Andrews (1916), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus violaceus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Platydracus viridanus (Horn, 1879): Herman (2001), Brunke et al. (2011), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Platydracus zonatus (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011)
Staphylinus ornaticauda LeConte, 1863: Brunke et al. (2011), Newton et al. (2001)
Tasgius ater (Gravenhorst, 1802): Brunke et al. (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), MSU-ARC
Tasgius melanarius (Heer, 1839): Haack and Ruesink (2020), MSU-ARC
Tasgius winkleri (Bernhauer, 1906): Brunke et al. (2011)
Tympanophorus puncticollis (Erichson, 1840): Herman (2001), Brunke et al. (2011), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC
Tribe Tanygnathinini
Atanygnathus bicolor (Casey, 1915): Brunke et al. (2011)
The following species were also reported from Michigan, but we consider them to be adventive, misidentifications or other errors:
Tribe Acylophorini
Hemiquedius ferox (LeConte, 1878): Smetana (1971), Herman (2001), Andrews (1923), Downie and Arnett (1996), MSU-ARC; Brunke et al. (2017) described two new species of Hemiquedius and restricted H. ferox to FL
Tribe Erichsoniini
Erichsonius cinerascens (Gravenhorst, 1802): Hubbard and Schwarz (1878) as Philonthus cinerascens Grav.; a European sp.; does not occur in NA
Tribe Quediini
Quedius desertus Horn, 1878: Andrews (1923); a western sp.
Quedius erythrogaster Mannerheim, 1852: Smetana (1971), Herman (2001); a western sp. as restricted by Brunke et al. (2020).
Tribe Staphylinini
Bisnius cephalicus (Casey, 1915): Hatch (1925) as Philonthus cephalicus Csy.; a western Canada sp., should not be in MI
Philonthus confertus LeConte, 1863: Hatch (1925); presumed misidentification as this SE species should not occur much north of the Ohio River
Philonthus rubripennis Stephens, 1832: Hatch (1925), Hubbard and Schwarz (1878) as Philonthus fulvipes Fabr.; a European sp. that does not occur in NA
Staphylinus caesareus Cederhjelm, 1798: Hubbard and Schwarz (1878); a Palearctic sp. that does not occur in NA (Newton et al., 2001)
Staphylinus erythropterus Linneaus, 1758: Herman (2001), Leng (1920), Downie and Arnett (1996); a Palearctic sp. that does not occur in NA (Newton et al., 2001)
This family list was last updated: April 21, 2023