I will work on this project during a doctoral course. Ashe & Newton (1993) and Ashe (2005) shed light onto the tachyporine phylogeny using morphological characters, however, some problems also have arisen such as a validity of monophyletic Tachyporinae. We will challenge to clarify the higher phylogeny of the group.

references

Ashe, J. S. (2005) Phylogeny of the tachyporine group subfamilies and ‘basal’ lineages of the Aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) based on larval and adult characteristics. Systematic Entomology, 30: 3-37.

Ashe, J. S. & Newton, A. F., Jr. (1993) Larvae of Trichophya and phylogeny of the tachyporine group of subfamilies (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with a review, new species and characterization of the Trichophyinae. Systematic Entomology, 18: 267-286.

The staphylinid subfamily Aleocharinae is one of the most diverse and taxonomically difficult groups of beetles except for only a few groups. They are inhabited all zoological regions and are adapted almost all terrestrial environments, e. g., occurring in leaf litter, cave, under bark, in mushroom, on carrion, in seaweed, decaying cacti, under dung, flower, inside the nests of social insects like ants and even in the nests of birds and mammals. However, taxonomic studies are still chaotic because of the following reasons: 1) containing large number of species; 2) quite similar in their appearances; 3) wide range of distributions. As a result, numerous undesignated synonyms exist, a lack of adequate keys for specific identification and a lack of pictures or illustrations pose major difficulties with regard to the taxonomic and applied studies. For these reasons, we can access to the only limited knowledge of this huge subfamily, though in many cases, Aleocharine beetles may be suitable for the understanding of biodiversity and evolution.

Current knowledge of Japanese Aleocharine fauna is also still incomplete. So, I am working on the taxonomic study on Japanese Aleocharinae to provide useful information of the group under the guidance of Dr. Munetoshi Maruyama (Kyushu University Museum). I especially place emphasis on the tribe Aleocharini of which contains many species parasitic on cyclorraphous Diptera and can be applied for pest control.

In Japan, increasing numbers of sika deer population in forests in recent decades have been becoming huge issues. They embark trees, often causing dieback, and also affect floor of forests. Finally, shika deers gradually change vegetation, especially in primary forest. Many studies are already carried out in relation to the increasing deer population. However, there is only a few studies treated their dung insects as decomposers.

This study focuses on the entire Staphylinidae species, collected from dung of sika deer. I expect the study will prove to be crucial in clarifying as a role of decomposers of deer dung.

Nowadays, massive transportations and trades make our lives comfortable. But, some creatures also easily invade unintentionally elsewhere by mixing with these physical distributions. It makes one of the major threats for biodiversity and it is said to clarify distributions of them are important.

This study is not my main work, however, I have undertaken some projects regarding this matter.