Staphylinidae beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of the upper forest line of the Polonynskyi ridge of Uzhanskyi NNP

Abstract

The study and conservation of biological diversity remains a priority for modern biology. Despite the high degree of species diversity and ubiquity the Staphylinidae family is still one of the least studied groups in the animal world. The material that has formed the basis of the publication was collected with the help of Barber traps during two years in the permanent trial areas of the Polonynskyi ridge, namely: in forests, on the border of forests and meadows, forests and mountain meadows, ecotones and mountain meadows. For the first time, an inventory of the fauna of the Staphylinidae beetles of the upper forest belt of the Polonynskyi ridge has been carried out. As a result of the conducted research, the data on the species composition of the Staphylinidae beetles were significantly supplemented and specified, and 91 species belonging to 10 subfamilies were identified (Scaphidiinae – 2 species, Phloeocharinae – 1 species, Proteininae – 2 species, Omaliinae – 6 species, Oxytelinae – 4 species, Oxyporinae – 1 вид, Paederinae – 3 species, Staphylininae – 34 species, Tachyporinae – 14 species, Aleocharinae – 24 species). Among the identified species, two species – Plataraea elegans and Schistoglossa drusilloides – are listed for the fauna of Ukraine for the first time, and 58 species for the first time for the fauna of Uzhansky NNP, one species – Xantholinus azuganus azuganus – is endemic to the Carpathians, and one species – Velleius dilatatus – is listed in the Red Book of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Based on the research and analysis of literature and other sources, an annotated list of identified species has been compiled, which contains information about the findings of species, synonymy, bionomy and distribution of the species. The results can be used to address a number of theoretical issues of faunology, zoogeography, ecology, in compiling the inventory of fauna of the Ukrainian Carpathians, for comparative faunistic research, in the analysis of species distribution, as well as in biogeographic constructions, study of faunogenesis, ecological monitoring and prediction of consequences of the influence of human activities on the natural ecosystems of the region.