Carcinocephalus BERNHAUER 1903

Assing, V., 2009, On the Western Palaearctic species of Carcinocephalus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (1), pp. 463-469 : 464

Carcinocephalus BERNHAUER 1903

Astacops BERNHAUER 1902: 61; preoccupied.

Carcinocephalus BERNAUUER 1903: 592 ; replacement name.

Scribaia LUZE 1906: 546; nov.syn.

C o m m e n t: According to SCHEERPELTZ (1934) and ZANETTI (1987), the subgenus Scribaia LUZE 1906 (type species: Omalium blandum LUZE 1906 ) is distinguished from Carcinocephalus (type species: Omalium merkli EPPELSHEIM 1883 ) primarily by longer and more slender legs and antennae. These differences may be interpreted as adaptations to different habitats and are most certainly evidence of interspecific differentiation. However, in view of the criteria and standards commonly applied in the systematics of Staphylinidae , they are insufficient to justify a distinction at the subgeneric level. Moreover, from a practical viewpoint, a conservation of Scribaia would seem unnecessary, since both subgenera would be monotypical (see below and remark in introduction). Therefore, Scribaia is formally placed in synonymy with Carcinocephalus .