Biodiversity of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in the Province of Verona (Veneto, Northern Italy)

Abstract

A commented catalogue of Coleoptera Staphylinidae present in Verona province (Veneto, Northern Italy) is provided. It is based on published as well as mostly unpublished records, with the Sette collection at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona as main source. These records are filed in a freely downloadable database (http://www.societaentomologicaitaliana.it/it/archivio-comunicazioni/78-archiviati/269-database-staphylinidae-verona.html). Verona province is a very diverse area, with habitats ranging from montane/alpine to hill and plain, which are natural, seminatural or anthropogenic. A total of 988 species are listed. Localities, habitats, microhabitats, collecting methods, altitudinal range, months of capture, latest year of capture and number of specimens are given for each species. Comments are added for 149 remarkable species or genera (<em>i.e</em>. new to Italy, endemic, with particular geographic distribution, living in particular habitats, introduced, problematic from a taxonomic point of view), 7 species are new records for Italy (<em>Tachyporus corpulentus J.</em> Sahlberg, 1876, <em>Aleochara bellonata</em> Krása, 1922, <em>Aleochara marmotae</em> Sainte-Claire Deville, 1927, <em>Atheta (Ceritaxa) flavipes</em> (Hochhuth, 1860), <em>Atheta (Philhygra) pseudoelongatula</em> Bernhauer, 1907, <em>Stenomastax platygaster</em> (Kraatz, 1859), <em>Carpelimus boops rondaensis</em> (Fagel, 1957)), one is very probably new to science (<em>Leptusa</em> sp.). The biogeographic analysis of the data is mostly based on the comparison of the main areas of the province (Monte Baldo, Lessinia, Morene del Garda, course of Adige river, and plain). The presence of a good percentage (5%) of endemic species is pointed out. The communities inhabiting the principal habitats and microhabitats are commented on, and remarkable species living in the protected areas of the province are listed.