Type material. Paratypes: All 20 paratypes kept in three institutions are mounted on 9 cards (pins) in groups from 1 to 5 specimens, with each pin having the same label printed on green or plain paper: ‘On Kentia. Lord Howe I. A.M. Lea’. Additionally, respective groups of specimens on each pin have the following labels: 2 females,’Heterothops kentiae Lea. Lea, Co-type[preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting] / Cotypes / Paratype [blue printed label] / K 188918 [printed white label]’; 2 females, ‘Co-type [printed label] / Paratype [pale blue printed label] / K56145 / Paratype [dark blue printed label] / K 188917 [printed white label]’; 1 male [mounted on its back] and 1 female, ‘Heterothops kentiae Lea. H288 Lea, Co-type [preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting] / Paratype [pale blue printed label] / A.H. Elston Collection [printed label] / K 188916’ (all six specimens on three pins from AMS); 1 male, 1 female, ‘Heterothops kentiae. Lea, Co-type [preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting] / Department of Zoology. Natural History Museum. University of Oslo. (ZMUN) [printed label] / Syntype. V.I. Gusarov rev. 2005 [two red printed labels]’ (ZMUN); 3 males, 2 females, ‘Summit of Mt. Gover, L.H.I. A.M. Lea / Heterothops kentiae Lea, Co-type [preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting] / Cotypus, Lea don. A. Lea [purple label in M. Bernhauer’s handwriting] / Chicago NHMus M. Bernhauer Collection [printed label]’; 1 male, 2 females, ‘Heterothops kentiae Lea, Co-type [preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting] / Cotypus, Lea don. A. Lea [purple label in M. Bernhauer’s handwriting] / Chicago NHMus M. Bernhauer Collection [printed label]’ (FMNH); 2 males on the same card, ‘c/3079 / Heterothops kentiae Lea, Co-type [preprinted label with Lea’s handwriting]’; 2 specimens mounted on two separate cards but on the same pin, ‘Lord Howe I., A.M. Lea / C 3199 / Heterothops kentiae Lea, Co-type’(QM).

Additional material, all from Lord Howe Island, Australia. 5 specimens: Stevens Reserve, rotted log and bark litter with fungi, 23.v.1980, S. + J. Peck; 2 specimens, Intermediate Hill, Big Creek, malaise trap through tall forest, 18-30.v.1980, S. + J. Peck; 1 specimen, Intermediate Hill, Big Creek, litter under carrion baits, 30.x.1980, S. + J. Peck; 7 specimens, Far Flats, thatch palm litter with nuts, 21.v.1989, S. + J. Peck (ANIC); 9 specimens: Mount Gower, 650-882 m [various collection dates] (AMS); 1 specimen: Mount Lidgbird, leaf litter of Bird’s Nest Fern Asplenium goudeyi 1.5 m off ground, 21.x.2001, Ian Hutton (AMS).

Habitus as in Figure 1. Head as wide as, or wider than pronotum, black to dark brown with distinct microsculpture; infraorbital ridges short, far not reaching base of mandibles; postmandibular ridges well developed, extending towards gular sutures but not reaching them; postgena with scattered shallow punctures; eyes about a third of the size of the side of the head; antennomeres 1-3 yellow, 4-11 dark brown; distal antennomeres transverse; apical segment of labial and maxillary palpi aciculate. Pronotum dark brown with two punctures in each dorsal series and distinct microsculpture, hypomera without post-coxal process; elytra dark yellow, each elytron generally with posterior two thirds darkened; fully winged; legs yellow, tarsi with very long setae ventrally, protarsi with a few long white adhesive setae ventrally. Tergites III to V with anterior and posterior basal carinae; male sternite VIII without apical incision (unusual for most of Staphylininae); aedeagus with paramere; closely attached to, and apically protruding over, but median lobe and paramere still two distinctly separate entities, paramere apically rounded with several setae (Figure 2C).

The original placement of Cheilocolpus kentiae in the genus Heterothops Stephens, 1829, like many other species of Australian Amblyopinina, was based on the aciculate last segment of maxillary palpi and resemblance in habitus. With such poorly justified generic identifications, Heterothops Stephens, 1829 was inflated to a genus of about 150 species from all over the world (Coiffait 1978; Smetana 1971, 1988; Herman 2001; Solodovnikov and Schomann 2009). Heterothops is based on the European species H. binotatus (Gravenhorst, 1802) and its generic limits when including better known Holarctic species only (Smetana 1971; Coiffait 1978) are more clear. Holarctic Heterothops can be defined by the following character combination: long infraorbital ridges extending to base of mandibles; aciculate last segment of maxillary palps; pronotal hypomera without translucent post-coxal process; anterior tarsi dilated in both sexes; abdominal segments III-V with posterior basal carina connecting spiracles; and aedeagus with paramere entirely fused to median lobe so that both structures appear as one entity. Earlier this fusion was correctly recognized by Coiffait (1978) but misinterpreted as the complete loss of parameres by Smetana (1988).

With poorly studied global species diversity of ‘Heterothops’, it is not clear how far this character combination holds when Neotropical or Oriental species are considered (Heterothops is represented by one species in the Afrotropical region according to Solodovnikov and Schomann 2009). But, as far as the native Australian ‘Heterothops’ are concerned, it is clear that they are not congeneric with the Holarctic ones. Although the Australian and Holarctic species share some characters from the above mentioned diagnostic combination, the former do not have extended infraorbital ridges and their aedeagi have very distinct median lobe and paramere. At the same time, Australian ‘Heterothops’ share the same diagnostic character combination with the Chilean genus Cheilocolpus Solier, 1849, namely: infraorbital ridges poorly developed, short, never reaching the base of mandibles; apical segment of labial and maxillary palps aciculate, at base distinctly more narrow than apex of penultimate segment; pronotal hypomera without translucent post-coxal process; abdominal tergites III-V (or at least III) with anterior and posterior basal carinae, the latter connecting spiracles; paramere not fused with median lobe, distinct. Also, Cheilocolpus differ from Heterothops in habitus: the former (in dorsal view) have elongate more or less parallel-sided pronotum, while the latter have pronotum with sides narrowing anteriad.

The genus Cheilocolpus is based on C. pyrostoma (Solier, 1849) and, compared to other free living south temperate Amblyopinina, is relatively well monographed in a series of papers (Coiffait and Sáiz 1966; Sáiz 1971). Its limits with other related Neotropical genera such as Rolla Blackwelder, 1952 or Philonthellus Bernhauer, 1939 are not clear and must be investigated more elaborately. However, the listed shared character states and remarkable habitus similarity between the Australian ‘Heterothops’ species and smaller members of Cheilocolpus such as C. angustatus (Solier, 1849) from Chile, make it plausible to consider them congeneric. Such affinity is also biogeographically plausible in view of Gondwana-derived transantarctic connections between Australia and South America (e.g. Boger 2011). Even though we plan to move the main bulk of species of the Australian ‘Heterothops’ to Cheilocolpus in the course of a phylogeny-based generic revision of Amblyopinina (Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov, in prep.), here we already do so for Heterothops kentiae (and one other species, see below). Nomenclatural priority of the generic name Cheilocolpus over Rolla or Philonthellus also encourages this transfer now even though a separate genus status of these genera with respect to each other may be reconsidered in the future.

In the original description of Heterothops kentiae, Lea (1925) mentioned that he and his wife collected multiple specimens at Mt. Gower on fallen fronds and on wet parts of the Kentia canterburyana palm trees. He also indicated a specimen with the number ‘I.12690’ as a ‘type’. Based on the information in the original description, all specimens examined here are paratypes, many of which were apparently distributed by Lea among colleagues. Even though we did not examine the holotype (specimen with ‘I.12690’) that apparently is kept in Lea’s collection at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, identity of the paratypes is unambigous.

Type material. Holotype (male) and two paratypes (male and female), all from Lord Howe Island, Australia. All three specimens mounted on the same card (1 pin). Holotype is far right male marked by Lea with letters ‘TY’ written on the card next to the specimen [here dissected with apical abdominal segments and aedeagus placed in the microvial with glycerin pinned under]. ‘I. 12691 Heterothops castaneus Lea. Lord Howe I. also slide [Lea’s handwritten label with the word ‘TYPE’ written in red ink along right margin] / castaneus. Lea, type. Lord Howe [small preprinted label with handwriting] / SAMA database No. 25-036194’ / Holotype (male, TY) and 2 Paratypes Heterothops castaneus Lea Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov rev. 2016 [red printed label] (SAM)’.

Additional material, all from Mt. Gower summit at 850 m of elevation, Lord Howe Island, Australia. 1 female, 850m, 27.ix.1978, T. Kingston, mossy forest’; 1 male, 9.xi.1979, G. B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLESATE No. 135. Volcanic soil, sieved litter. / Voucher Specimen 81-42 (QM)

Head about as wide as pronotum, brown, depigmented; infraorbital ridges short, far not reaching base of mandibles; postmandibular ridges well developed, extending towards gular sutures but not reaching them; postgena with several shallow punctures; eyes about a quarter or the size of the side of the head; antennomeres 1-3 slightly paler than 4-11; antennomeres 1-6 elongate; apical segment of labial and maxillary palpi aciculate. Pronotum brown, concolourous with head, with two punctures in each dorsal series and faint microsculpture, hypomera without post-coxal process; elytra brown, concolourous with head and pronotum; legs brown, concolourous with rest of body. Tergites III to V with anterior and posterior basal carinae; male sternite VIII without apical incision; aedeagus with paramere closely attached to, and apically protruding over, but paramere still distinct as structure separate from median lobe, apex of paramere rounded but more acute than C. kentiae (Figure 2B).

Heterothops castaneus Lea, 1925 was described from Lord Howe Island where specimens were collected from leaf litter. Lea (1925) suggested its resemblance to species of Calodera (Aleocharinae) but also noted that it may be close to H. xantholinoides MacLeay (1873) (=H. fauveli Bernhauer & Schubert, 1916), a species from Australia which will also be transferred to the genus Cheilocolpus in due time (Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov, in prep). Here we transfer H. castaneus to the genus Cheilocolpus for the same reasons as presented in ‘Taxon discussion’ for C. kentiae. Cassis et al. (2003) classified C. castaneus (there as Heterothops castaneus) as ‘Threatened Vulnerable’ and ‘Uncommon’.

In the original description of Heterothops castaneus, Lea (1925) mentions 6 specimens collected from fallen leaves. He also indicated a specimen with the number ‘I. 12691’ as the ‘type’. Here we examined three specimens from Lea’s collection in SAM, all mounted on the same card on one pin. Based on the information from the original description, among them a male marked by Lea with the letters ‘TY’ (for details see Material examined) is the holotype. All three specimens mounted on the same pin bear a handwritten label by Lea stating ‘I. 12691’ which reassures our correct interpretation of a holotype. The other two beetles (male and female) on the same card as the holotype are paratypes.

Type material. Holotype: Male, point-mounted with apical abdominal segments in glycerin in capsule under specimen, with labels ‘AUSTRALIA: N.S.W., Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Intermediate Hill, Big Creek, 50’–200’, malaise trough, tall forest, 18-30.v.80 / Holotype Cheilocolpus olliffi Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016’ (ANIC). Paratypes [all supplied with the labels ‘Paratype Cheilocolpus olliffi Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016’: 3 males with locality labels same as holotype specimen. 5 paratypes with labels ‘AUSTRALIA: N.S.W., Lord Howe Island, 17–31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Intermediate Hill, 50’ pan traps, 19–30.v.1989’ (ANIC); 1 male with labels ‘NSW: Lord Howe Is., Mt Gower summit, c870m, 31°35'23"S. 159°04'21"E, 05Dec2000, C. Reid, Visitors book, mossy floor / K 188898 / H. sp2’ (AMS).

Measurements: HL 0.5–0.7; HW 0.5–0.6; PL 0.7–0.8; PW 0.5–0.7; EL 0.8–1; EW 0.8–1.1. Total body length 3.6–5.

Small, black to dark brown beetles. Habitus as in Figure 3.

Head capsule elongate more or less parallel-sided. Head surface with transverse microsculpture, on vertex with additional pair of punctures between anterior frontal punctures (sensu Smetana 1971), on temples sparsely pubescent. Length of eyes about one third of the side of the head. Nuchal ridge complete. Infraorbital ridge present but very short, far not reaching base of mandibles. Maxillary and labial palpi yellow, their apical segment aciculate. Labrum transverse, somewhat bilobed. Mandibles strongly produced. Dorsal mandibular ridge developed posteriorly. Gular sutures converging posteriad but not joining. Postmandibular ridge developed, directed towards gular sutures. All antennomeres elongate; first slightly paler than 2-11; 1-3 setose; 4-11 setose and with tomentose pubescence.

Surface of pronotum with transverse microsculpture and three pairs of punctures in dorsal series. Hypomeron strongly inflexed, and thus not visible in lateral view. Post-coxal process absent. Basisternum with pair of macrosetae.

Scutellum with only anterior scutellar ridge. Light brown, covered in setiferous punctures. Fully winged species, veins CuA and MP4 fused in one vein and vein MP3 present.

Legs yellow to orange with femora slightly darker than tibia and tarsi. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Tarsi with sparsely distributed long setae ventrally.

Abdominal tergites III to V with anterior and posterior basal carinae the latter connecting spiracles.

Male. Sternite VIII without apical incision. Aedeagus with paramere closely attached to, and apically protruding over median lobe, but both still distinctly seen as two separate structures. Paramere apically acutely pointed with several small setae. In lateral view apical portion of paramere somewhat expanded. Apical tip of median lobe with narrow notch. Aedeagus of C. olliffi noticeably more elongated and about twice the length of the aedeagus of C. kentiae or C. castaneus (Figure 2A).

Cheilocolpus olliffi can be distinguished from other species of the genus from Australia based on the three pairs of punctures in the dorsal series of the pronotum and the pair of punctures on the frons between the eyes. Compared to the other LHI species, C. kentiae and C. castaeneus with respective antennomeres transverse, C. olliffi has antennomeres 6-11 elongate. All three LHICheilocolpus species have very distinctive habitus and aedeagi (Figure 2).

Cheilocolpus olliffi is named in recognition of Arthur Sidney Olliff (1865–1895), an English-born entomologist and taxonomist who made significant contributions to the understanding of LHI’s insect fauna, including recognising its affiliation with the mainland Australia. The species epithet is a noun in the genitive singular.

The species is placed in the genus Cheilocolpus because it fully matches the diagnosis of the genus given in the Taxon discussion section under C. kentiae.

Type material. Holotype: male [mounted on the same card with two female paratypes but marked with letters ‘TY’ by Lea], ‘mirus Lea, Type, Lord Howe I. / I.12703 Heterothops mirus Lea Lord Howe, also slide [Lea’s handwritten label]/SAMA Database No. 25-036156 (SAM); Paratypes: 2 females [mounted on the same card with the holotype], same labels as in holotype; 1 male, 2 females [mounted on the same card], ‘On Kentia Lord Howe I. A.M. Lea / co-type / Heterothops mirus Lea co-type, Lord Howe I.’ (SAM).

Heterothops mirus Lea, 1925 was originally described from Lord Howe Island, based on specimens collected on Kentia palms. Lea (1925) noted its affiliation with Heterothops magniceps Bernhauer, 1920, in particular because of the unusually wide neck and extremely small eyes. The genus Ctenandropus was described by Cameron (1926) for a single species C. nigriceps Cameron, 1926 that is presumably broadly distributed in Australia and Indonesia. Smetana (1988) complemented the detailed original description of Ctenandropus by additional diagnostic notes, redescribed C. nigriceps and transferred Heterothops magniceps Lea, 1925 to that genus. Ctenandropus is one of the most easily recognizable genera of Amblyopinina due to its rather flat, small yellowish to brown body with very broad head having no neck constriction, and black combs in both sexes on the first mesotarsomere. The genus has wide distribution in the Oriental and Australo-Pacific regions and its species need revision which is not within the scope of this paper. Based on the study of type material of H. mirus kept at the South Australian Museum which fully matches the diagnosis of Ctenandropus, we propose the new combination Ctenandropus mirus (Lea, 1925). Species level identification of the Ctenandropus from LHI must be further verified, as stated above.

Type material. Holotype: Male, point-mounted with apical abdominal segments in glycerin in capsule under specimen, with labels ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°04'59"E 31°35'2"S, 730m N Velez 1-14 Nov 2004, Site G29 litter Zygonium, Dracophyllum forest / Australian Museum K403172’/ Holotype Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016’ (AMS). Paratypes [all supplied with the labels ‘Paratype Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016’: 1 female, ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°04'49"E 31°35'9"S, 800m N Velez 1-12 Nov 2005, Site G32 litter Zygogy/Dracophyllum forest / Australian Museum, K403175’; 1 male, ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°05'1"E 31°35'00"S, 690m N Velez, 10-17 May 2004, Site G27 litter, Hedy. canterburyana forest / Australian Museum K403173’; 1 female, ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Lidgeb tk, 159°05'26"E 31°33'39"S, 360m N Velez, 1-14 April 2006, Site L11 litter, Drypetes/Cryptocarya / Australian Museum K403177’; 1 male, ‘NSW; On Soldiers Ck at NW junction, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATSFC6-4P (pit / Australian Museum K403169’; 1 female, ‘NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island – Midway down ridge N of igloo; -31:35:5;159:4:35; 18-Jan-2002 to 31-Jan-2002; I. Hutton; ca. 819m; MG005 (pit trap) / K 188885 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°05'10"E 31°34'50"S, 490m N Velez, 1-12 Nov 2004, Site G19 litter Dracophyllum/Metrosideros nervulosa scrub / Australian Museum K403174’; 1 female, ‘NSW; “Razorback”, Mt. Gower, Lord Howe Is; -31:35:30; 159:4:18; 28-Nov-2000; CBCR, Australian Museum; LHIS056L leaf litter ex Broad Close Sclerophyll Forest – Hedyscepe habitat / K188888 / Australian Museum, Loan No. 1947’; 1 female, ‘NSW; 1^st sites reached, next to Soldiers Ck, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 20-Apr-2004; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G, Brownl RATSCNF5-1L leaf litter ex: Lowland Mixed Forest litter / Australian Museum K403171’; 1 female, ‘Lord Howe Is: Mt Lidgbird tk 159°05'25"E 31°33'33"S, 260m N Velez 1-14 April 2006, Site L8 litter, Syzigium fullagarii forest / Australian Museum K403176’; 1 female, ‘NSW; Walking trail to Mt. Gower, at base of Scaly Bark Ridge, Lord Howe Is.; -31:34:47; 159:4:40; 02-Dec-2000 to 12-Dec-2000; CBCR Australian Museum; LHIS047/01 (pit trap) / K188882 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, ‘NSW; Closest to 2^nd Tree, besides Golf Course, Lord Howe Is; -31:33:11; 159:5:1; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATGCFC4-2P (pit trap) / Australian Museum K402170’; 1 female, 1 male, ‘NSW; “Get Up Place”, trail to Mt. Gower, Lord Howe Is.; -31:34:58; 159:4:52; 02-Dec-2000; CBCR, Australian Museum; LHIS048L leaf litter ex Broad Closed Sclerophyll Scrub – Dracophyllum/Metrosideros habitat / K188883 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, ‘NSW; 100m E from Soldiers Ck, closer to trail, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 12-Dec-2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATSCFC8-3L leaf litter ex: Loweland Mixed forest Litter / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, ‘NSW; Western edge Golf Course, Lord Howe Is – Left side of clearing; -31:33:11; 159:5:1; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATGCNF1-2P (pit trap) / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 female, ‘NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island – Bottom of gully near igloo; -31:35:4; 159:4:31; 20/11/2001; I. Hutton, P. Flemons, C. Reid; MG003L leaf litter ex Bubbia – Dracophyllum / K188887 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 female, ‘NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island – Midway down gull near igloo; -31:35:6; 159:4:32; 20/11/2011; I. Hutton, P. Flemons, C. Reid; MG002L leaf litter ex Bubbia – Dracophyllum / K188881 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’ (AMS); 1 female, ‘AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Mt. Gower, 850m, 26.v.80, rot wood w/fungi & moss, 12 L Ber’; 1 male, ‘AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17–31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Stevens Reserve, 10’, 24.v.80, moist litter in limestone sink, 16 L Ber’; 1 male, ‘AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Intermediate Hill, 300’, 18.v.1980, rotted bark w/fungi, tall forest, Ber 19 L / Quediopsis sp det. A.F. Newton 1987’ (ANIC); 1 male, ‘LORD HOWE ISLAND, Goat House Track, 11 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLESATE No. 138, Volcanic Soil, 250m, Pickard VegL Hb, Sieved litter’; 1 female, ‘LORD HOWE ISLAND, Mt Gower summit (NE), 9 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLESATE No. 134, Volcanic Soil, 850m, Pickard Veg: GMF, Sieved litter’; 1 female, ‘LORD HOWE ISLAND, Erskine Valley, north side, 22 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLSATE No. 160, Volcanic soil, 150m, Pickard Veg:CfLq, Sieved litter / VOUCHER SPECIMEN 81-40’ (QM).

Measurements: HL 0.7–0.9; HW 0.8–1.1; PL 1–1.2; PW 1.1–1.4; EL 0.8–1.1; EW 0.9–1.3. Total body length 5.9–7.6.

Medium sized, dark to light brown beetles. Habitus as in Figure 4.

Head brown-black in colour. Eyes about a third of the length of the head. Nuchal ridge continuing as ‘infraorbital extension’ to base of mandibles (Figure 5). Labrum transverse and bilobed. Mandibles with dorsal mandibular ridge indistinct. Mentum with alpha seta present (sensu Brunke and Solodovnikov 2013). Gula with weakly defined suture projecting posteriorly in the middle; gular sutures slightly narrowing medially. Labial palpi: apical segment securiform (expanded; or triangular in shape, Figure 6), covered in short setae; penultimate segment with long macrosetae extending over apical segment.

Antennomeres elongate, all of same colour. First antennomere slightly expanded apically, about as long as second and third combined.

Pronotum widest behind its middle at ca. posterior 2/3 of its length, slightly narrowed towards front angles; usually lighter than head in colour. Dorsal area with linear microsculpture and micropunctures visible at 40× magnification. Pronotal disk with two punctures in dorsal row: one very close to anterior margin of pronotum, and one on disc of pronotum before middle. Hypomeron inflexed and therefore not visible in lateral view, without post-coxal process. Basisternum with pair of black macrosetae and sometimes with other macrosetae positioned anterior to them.

Elytra usually the same colour as head, brown, sometimes with area around suture and scutellum rufous. Scutellum with only anterior scutellar ridge, setiferous in apical area. Sub-basal ridge present, not reaching humeral angles. Humeral angles with randomly positioned spine-like setae. Wings reduced, much shorter than elytra.

Legs concolourous. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Both sexes with protarsi dilated and bearing dense white adhesive setae ventrally. Each tarsus with pair of empodial setae. Metacoxae almost parallel-sided along their entire length.

Abdomen usually the same colour as the pronotum. Tergites III and IV with anterior and posterior basal carinae, the latter connecting spiracles; tergite VII without apical seam of palisade fringe. Sternite III with basal transverse carina medially sharply pointed and forming an acute angle. Lateral tergal sclerites IX somewhat cylindrical, slightly flattened.

Male. Sternite VIII with apical emargination. Sternite IX with basal portion asymmetrical. Apical area of paramere somewhat spatulate with several short setae (Figure 7).

Female. Sternite VIII without emargination.

Among the described and all hitherto undescribed species of Quediopsis that we know from the material from throughout Australia, Quediopsis howensis may be separated based on the following combination of characters: apical segment of labial palpi extremely securiform; antennal segments concolourous; eyes slightly reduced; tergites III and IV with posterior basal carina connecting spiracles; apical margin of tergite VIII evenly rounded. Additionally, Q. howensis is the only species in the genus with characteristic microphthalmous and poorly pigmented (brownish) body.

The species name refers to the fact that Q. howensis seems to be a unique endemic representative of the genus on Lord Howe Island. It is an adjective derived from the latter part of the islands’ name.

The species is only known from Lord Howe Island and is probably endemic to the island.

Nothing is known of the biology of the species, however label data associated with specimens indicates that is was collected in leaf litter of a variety of bush and tree species. The somewhat smaller eyes, distinctly depigmented body and fully reduced wings indicate that Q. howensis may be adapted to life in deep layers of leaf litter.

The genus Quediopsis Fauvel, 1878 was originally erected for two species from mainland Australia: Quediopsis lugubris Fauvel, 1878 and Quediopsis abdominalis Fauvel, 1878. Both species are very characteristic among all other Amblyopinina and share the following combination of characters that form the core of the diagnosis of the genus: apical segment of labial palpi securiform or wider than penultimate segment (Figure 6), covered in short setae; penultimate segment of labial palpi with long macro setae extending over apical segment; tergites III and IV and occasionally V with posterior basal carina in addition to anterior carina; nuchal ridge usually extending to base of mandibles (Figure 5). Subsequently, in the online database for Austral Staphylinoidea, Newton and Thayer (2005) proposed the transfer of Quedius rubricollis Fauvel, 1878 to Quediopsis (albeit without explanation). Even though the genus-level systematics of free living Amblyopinina is not developed and difficult as we have recently stated (Solodovnikov and Jenkins Shaw 2016), Quediopsis is a very clear cut and easy to recognise genus. Until now, no more species have been described in the genus, but based on the study of extensive material we estimate at least 6 new species of Quediopsis which still need to be described from mainland Australia. The genus seems to also present in Tasmania, New Zealand and New Caledonia but this will be investigated further in our forthcoming generic revision of the subtribe. The weakly defined sinuate suture on the gula characteristic for the new species from LHI is also found in at least two undescribed species of Quediopsis from mainland Australia.

This large, wingless rove beetle is only known from the type series collected from Mount Lidgbird. Although the exact location on Mt. Lidgbird or the habitat where specimens were collected is unknown, Lea (1929) states that they were ‘not taken from sea beaches’. Cafius gigas is now presumed to be extinct from Lord Howe Island due to predation by introduced rats early in the 20th century (Cassis et al. 2003; Priddel et al. 2003). The species is only represented by a handful of earlier collected specimens which are 130 years old. Based on our examination of morphology, C. gigas does not belong to Cafius, or even the broader ‘Cafius-complex’ sensu Jeon et al (2012). It seems to be a member of the Australian Hesperus-Actinus-Leucitus lineage of Philonthina where it may be sister or closely related to Hesperus dolichoderes (Lea, 1925), a peculiar species also endemic for Lord Howe Island (see below). The fact that C. gigas was collected from a non-coastal location (while all true Cafius are known exclusively from the sea shores) supports the morphology-based suggestion regarding its misplacement in that genus. A phylogenetic study where we are also attempting to extract DNA from C. gigas, and where the formal transfer of that species to the proper genus will be implemented is currently in preparation.

Cafius nauticus was originally described in the genus Philonthus from Tahiti (Fairmaire 1849) and was later moved to Cafius by Fauvel (1874). Cafius nauticus was first reported from Australia by Fauvel (1903) and later Lea (1925), somewhat unclearly, suggested that C. nauticus was introduced to Lord Howe Island. In the phylogeny of Jeon et al. (2012), Cafius nauticus was based on a specimen from Australia and it was resolved as a sister group to the genus Phucobius, with C. vestitus Sharp, 1874 sister to the clade (C. nauticus + Phucobius). Undoubtedly Cafius nauticus belongs to the ‘Cafius-complex’ sensu Jeon et al. (2012) where, however, it was not assigned to any of the species groups but classified as incertae sedis. It is a wide-spread species known from Hawaii, Japan, China, Taiwan, Society Islands, Austral Islands, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mascarene Islands, Yemen, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Mauritius, Reunion, Rodriguez and, as an introduction, from Greece (Newton and Thayer 2005).

Cafius sabulosus was originally described from Sydney, Australia. In the phylogeny of Jeon et al. (2012), Cafius sabulosus was based on a specimen from Australia and formed a monophyletic group with Cafius algophilus Broun, 1894 from New Zealand. Similarly with C. nauticus (see above), in the revised classification of Jeon et al. (2012)C. sabulosus and C. algophilus were placed as incertae sedis within the ‘Cafius-complex’. According to Newton and Thayer (2005)C. sabulosus is also recorded from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Lord Howe Island.

Philonthus antipodum was originally described from Victoria and Queensland in Australia. Subsequently, Lea (1925) reported the species from New South Wales, South Australia, West Australia and Lord Howe Island. Without a comprehensive global phylogenetic study of the genus Philonthus, which according to Chani-Posse (2013) and Chani-Posse et al. (in press) is not monophyletic, currently it is impossible to assess sister-group relationships of this species. Preliminary study of the photos of a syntype in the BMNH suggests P. antipodum may be closely related to or most likely a synonym of Philonthus umbratilis (Gravenhorst, 1802), a European species which is already known as adventive in New Zealand (Solodovnikov and Brunke 2016). Without examination of the rest of the type material of P. antipodum at Fauvel’s collection in Brussels here we refrain from implementing a new synonymy. Also, material of that species from mainland Australia and Lord Howe Island, even though it superficially looks conspecific, remains to be carefully compared including genitalia dissections.

This species was originally described in the genus Philonthus (Lea 1925) where it was still listed in the printed catalogue by Herman (2001). Recently Newton and Thayer (2005) proposed the new combination Hesperus dolichoderes (Lea, 1925) in their online database. They are credited for the taxonomic change that we here confirm and formally implement in printed publication. Despite Philonthus and Hesperus not being monophyletic (Chani-Posse 2013; Chani-Posse et al. in press), Hesperus dolichoderes is clearly a part of the Hesperus-Actinus- Leucitus-Peucoglyphus lineage of the Asian and Australo-Pacific region. Like many taxa in that lineage, H. dolichoderes has a characteristically tube-like aedeagus with highly reduced paramere, a feature not characteristic to any lineage of a polyphyletic Philonthus. Until large scale revisions of both Philonthus and Hesperus complexes are carried out, Philonthus dolichoderes is moved to Hesperus even though this species is rather characteristic with unusually depigmented brownish body, brachyptery and smaller eyes presumably adaptations to island inhabitation. Usually Hesperus and related listed genera of that complex are well pigmented and often brightly coloured species with well developed eyes and hind wings. In spite of the peculiar habitus of H. dolichoderes, its overall morphology does not conflict with the current broad and loose definition of Hesperus. As mentioned above, H. dolichoderes and ‘Cafius’ gigas Lea, 1929 seem to be sister or at least closely related taxa, and both species will be treated in detail in a separate paper that is in preparation. The majority of H. dolichoderes specimens studied by us were collected from Mount Gower by pitfalls traps. The species is endemic to LHI.

Hesperus pacificus Olliff, 1887 was originally described from LHI where it is endemic. In contrast to the above mentioned LHI endemic Hesperus dolichoderes and presumably closely related ‘Cafius’ gigas, Hesperus pacificus looks like a more typical species of the genus, i.e. more brightly coloured, with well developed wings.

Creophilus erythrocephalus is recorded from New Guinea, Australia, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, Tonga, Society Islands (French Polynesia), Hawaii, Easter Island, and finally Chile, where it is apparently introduced (Fauvel 1903; Clarke 2011). The species is found in open or disturbed habitats, often on dung and carrion; also can be attracted by light (Clarke 2011). It was first reported from LHI by Olliff (1889).