A PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF THE NITIDULIDAE (COLEOPTERA) IN SHAWNEE-STATE-FOREST, OHIO

Various collecting techniques were utilized to discover nitidulid dive rsity in a forest in Scioto Co., Ohio, near the Ohio River. During two collecting periods, 20 species were identified. Four specimens of Col opterus, however, were not determined beyond genus, thus a minimum of 21 species were collected. Six of these species were previously record ed from Scioto County, and 14 of the 20 species identified are new cou nty records based on The Ohio State University collection of identifie d Nitidulidae. The five most abundant species in descending order were : Stelidota geminata, Stelidota octomaculata, Glischrochilus obtusus, Epuraea helvola, and Epuraea peltoides. All of the Stelidota octomacul ata and Epuraea helvola, and all but five of the Stelidota geminata we re caught in ground traps during late season. All of the Glischrochilu s obtusus and all but one of the Epuraea peltoides were collected in a erial traps in early season.