Faunal Analysis and Discussion

Abstract

In British Columbia (BC), a biodiversity hotspot on the western coast of Canada, there are 227 documented species of Aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Aleocharinae species can be characterized based on their distribution patterns across Canada, and over 19% of species are recorded from western Canada and the USA, including BC. Fourteen Aleocharinae tribes are represented in BC, with the most dominant tribes being the Athetini, Oxypodini, Aleocharini, Homalotini, and Tachyusini. Tribe Liparocephalini is found west of the Rocky Mountains and known only from BC in Canada. Twenty-two adventive Aleocharinae species are recorded from BC, with most of these species belonging to the Athetini and Aleocharini tribes. Although BC is considered a biodiversity hotspot, the northern and coastal regions remain largely unexplored. We predicted that an additional 50–90 Aleocharinae species may be present but are currently undocumented in BC, especially in the northern region of the province. With additional faunal surveys and research interest in this diverse subfamily of Staphylinidae, the total number of Aleocharinae species in BC and across Canada will surely grow.