Contributions to the fauna of Philonthus Stephens, 1829 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in Uludağ National Park

The genus Philonthus Stephens, 1829, belonging to the tribe Staphylinini, is the most specific genus within this group, comprising 1,333 species worldwide and 67 species/subspecies in Türkiye. The subtribe Philonthina is frequently used as a model group in both systematic and ecological studies. The aim of this study is to identify the Philonthus species found within the boundaries of Uludağ National Park and to determine their seasonal activity patterns. Additionally, the study analyzes the similarity indices of the sampling stations and interprets the distribution of beetles in relation to light, humidity, and soil pH using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). By documenting new locality records of the identified species, the study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the Turkish fauna. Field studies were conducted at 17 stations at different altitudes within Uludağ National Park using dung-baited pitfall traps. In total, nine field expeditions were carried out. A total of 559 individuals belonging to the genus Philonthus (subfamily Staphylininae, family Staphylinidae) were examined, and 13 species were identified. These species include: (Philonthus albipes (Gravenhorst, 1802), P. coprophilus Jarrige, 1949, P. cruentatus (Gmelin, 1790), P. laminatus (Creutzer, 1799), P. laxatus Fauvel, 1875, P. lindbergi Scheerpeltz, 1958, P. nitidicollis (Lacordaire, 1835), P. picimanus (Ménétriés, 1832), P. rotundicollis Ménétriés, 1832, P. spinipes Sharp, 1874, P. splendens splendens Fabricius, 1793, P. turbidus Erichson, 1840, and P. umbratilis (Gravenhorst, 1892)). All of these species were collected from Uludağ National Park and represent new locality records. All species identified in this study are first records for the sampled stations. Conducted within a short time frame and in a challenging fieldwork environment such as Uludağ National Park, this study provides a valuable reference for future research. Ecological preferences and environmental associations of Philonthus species are presented here for the first time. Keywords: Bursa, Fauna, Philonthina, Philonthus, Staphylinidae, Uludağ