Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 98. (Budapest 2006)

Makranczy, Gy.: Systematics and phylogenetic relationships of the genera in the Carpelimus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae)

MAJOR EVENTS TN THE HISTORY OF THE OXYTELINE CLASSIFICATION The beginnings: description of the common European taxa (1758-1840) Immediately following the works of LINNAEUS and FABRICIUS, not many species of Staphylinidae were described. Emphasis was given to the more alluring (and accessible) families of Coleoptera. In the early 1800s, however, this was to change rapidly. GRAVENHORST was the first to monograph Staphylinidae. In fact, we can consider him the first staphylinid specialist. It is remarkable that before 1802 only 310 species and 6 genera of Staphylinidae were named. GRAVENHORST alone in his two milestone works (GRAVENHORST 1802, 1806) added 330 species and 14 genera. As early as 1806, he also speculated about the relatedness of the then known taxa and his opinion on the relationships (at least as far as Oxytelinae is concerned) has been mostly confirmed by later investigators. Most of the "genera" on his chart are now subfamilies. It should be also noted that in the first half of the 1800s, there were competing names in use for the family Staphylinidae: "brachelytra" and "microptera" are just two of those that were eventually abandoned in favor of "staphylinids". Broadening the scope (1840-1969) The next 130 years brought two very important advancements. After ERICHSON'

s works on the classification of the world fauna (ERICHSON 1837, 1839a, b, 1840), a system prevailed for more than a hundred years, the mass description of species-group taxa started rapidly with a worldwide scope. The second is the refinement of the generic classification; the naming of the vast majority of genera and subgenera occured during this period. Six important figures shaped the classification of Oxytelinae: FAUVEL, SHARP, BERNHAUER, CAMERON, SCHEERPELTZ and FAGEL. The volume and status of the subfamily was often debated; for example JEANNEL & JARRIGE (1949) considered Oxytelidae as a separate family, while TlKHOMIROVA (1973) maintained the Oxytelinae in a broad sense, including the currently recognized subfamily Omaliinae and others in it. Both of these views had followers, so such arrangements are still found in modem literature. The revolution (1970-1995) The currently accepted phylogeny-based classification is the product of three very influential workers: LEE HERMAN, PETER HAMMOND and ALFRED NEWTON.