Pheidoliphila

There are twenty-six species in this myrmecophilous genus of Histeridae. Lea originally characterised this genus as follows: ‘The species of this genus are all small. The prothorax is strongly raised in front, with the raised portions overhanging the head. The elytra are not depressed immediately begind the scutellar region, but there is a depression close to each shoulder; there is an oblique incision at each shoulder, but the shoulders themselves are not raised above the general level, although clothed internally. All the legs are fitted into grooves.’We have conceived of this group more broadly (Dégallier and Caterino 2005b), in particular including a few species that lack humeral trichomes (P. secqi, P. penatii, and P. oharai). All may still be characterised by the presence of some sort of bifid projection, usually prominent, extending dorsad, and often anterad of anterior pronotal margin. Where trichomes are present, they are small, oblique, and found in the extreme anterolateral corners of each elytron.

Though hosts are now known for only a few species, all records are with ants in the genus Pheidole. Oke (1923) reported P. minuta being carried around by its hosts, held in the ants’ mandibles apparently by the humeral trichome. Pheidoliphila have been found throughout eastern Australia, as well as in Tasmania, and a single species placed here (P. micra) occurs in Papua New Guinea.