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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Pselaphidae

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles) > Polyphaga > Superfamily: Staphylinoidea

Small beetles (0.5 - 6.0 mm but usually < 2 mm long) with abbreviated elytra (as in Staphylinidae) that expose most of the abdominal segments.  They are found mainly in decaying matter on the ground (such as leaf litter) and there are also many species that are adapted to live in ant nests. Adults are mainly predators on e.g. mites.  About 100 genera and 400 species are known from southern Africa.