Systematic and biogeographic review of the Staphylinini rove beetles of Lord Howe Island with description of new species and taxonomic changes (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)
Author
Shaw, Josh Jenkins
Author
Solodovnikov, Alexey
text
ZooKeys
2016
638
1
25
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.638.10883
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.638.10883
1313-2970-638-1
F133F22115744DF4B1784797037920B6
Philonthus antipodum Fauvel, 1877
Taxon discussion.
Philonthus antipodum
was originally described from Victoria and Queensland in Australia. Subsequently,
Lea (1925)
reported the species from New South Wales, South Australia, West Australia and Lord Howe Island. Without a comprehensive global phylogenetic study of the genus
Philonthus
, which according to
Chani-Posse (2013)
and
Chani-Posse et al. (in press)
is not monophyletic, currently it is impossible to assess sister-group relationships of this species. Preliminary study of the photos of a syntype in the BMNH suggests
Philonthus antipodum
may be closely related to or most likely a synonym of
Philonthus umbratilis
(Gravenhorst, 1802), a European species which is already known as adventive in New Zealand (
Solodovnikov and Brunke 2016
). Without examination of the rest of the type material of
Philonthus antipodum
at
Fauvel's
collection in Brussels here we refrain from implementing a new synonymy. Also, material of that species from mainland Australia and Lord Howe Island, even though it superficially looks conspecific, remains to be carefully compared including genitalia dissections.