Species review of the genus Benick from North America (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Athetini): Systematics, habitat, and distribution.

Fourteen species of the genus Benick are now recognized in North America. (Eppelsheim), reported by Lohse (1990) from North America, is a misidentification of a new species, which is described here as Klimaszewski, , and the true (Epp.) does not occur in North America. An additional new species is found in Alaska, and described as Klimaszewski & Brunke, The following three species are synonymized (second name being valid): Klimaszewski & Godin, 2012, with (Fenyes, 1920); Lohse, 1990, with Lohse, 1990; and (Bernahuer, 1907) with (J Sahlberg, 1880), based on study of genital structures and external morphology. J Sahlberg, 1887, and Bernhauer, 1902, considered as in recent publications, are transferred to the genus Atheta Thomson, subgenus Dimetrota. (J Sahlberg) is transferred to based on morphology and the results of our phylogenetic analysis. is recorded from Alberta and is recorded from British Columbia for the first time. Each valid species is illustrated by color image of habitus, and black and white images of genitalia and tergite and sternite VIII. A new key to all Nearctic species of the genus is provided. DNA barcode data were available for nine of the 14 species, which we downloaded, analyzed, and used as additional evidence for the taxonomic conclusions reached herein.