Several new species of Sonoma Casey and a phylogenetic analysis of the genus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

Species of the staphylinid genus Sonoma (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Faronitae) have a bi-coastal distribution in North America. Currently 28 species are recognized along the west coast from southern California to Alaska. Sixteen new species were recently described from eastern Appalachian forests from southern Pennsylvania to northern Alabama. Several undescribed species from California are reported here. Photos of the habitus and line drawings of genitalia and other diagnostic characters are provided. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characteristics will be presented to address questions of whether east and west coast species groups should be assigned to different genera.