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Genus Tasgius

6009809 Rove beetle - Tasgius melanarius Rove Beetle - Tasgius ater Rove Beetle - Tasgius ater Rove Beetle - Tasgius ater Black Rove Beetle - Tasgius Large Rove Beetle - Tasgius ater Staph 101 - Tasgius ater Large Rove Beetle - Tasgius melanarius
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Staphylinoidea (Rove, Carrion and Fungus Beetles)
Family Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles)
Subfamily Staphylininae (Large Rove Beetles)
Tribe Staphylinini
Subtribe Staphylinina
Genus Tasgius
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ocypus subgenus Tasgius
Numbers
2 spp. according to Nearctica: T.ater and T.melanarius (both listed in Ocypus).
Identification
Large (15-20mm) black Staphylinids. Mandibles rather slender, with one tooth on inner edge. Last segment of labial palpi dilated and terminally truncate, seen here:

T.ater: Head and pronotum shiny, with punctures of two sizes;
T.melanarius: Head and Pronotum less shiny, with dense, uniform punctures.
Remarks
Species of genus Ocypus are very similar, but have stouter mandibles with small teeth in front of the big one, and different labial palpi.