Paederinae

Paederinae is one of the most diverse groups among rove beetles, in terms of the number of species. The newest data shows that they are more than 7 700 species in 218 genera with a worldwide distribution [Newton 2022]. They are a subfamily of only predatory species living in different habitats, with the majority occurring in leaf litter, where they hunt for their prey. Typically, we can meet them in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests at different elevations, including higher mountains, sometimes near the streams, in detritus accumulated by water currents, or in decomposing organic matter. Unfortunately, the subfamily Paederinae is also among the examples of a mega-diverse group where we know very little about their phylogeny and evolution. The species-richness makes this group extremely challenging for phylogenetics, and thus they have never been a subject of broader evolutionary studies.

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Photos by: K. Koszela & D. Żyła