Members of the subtribe Quediina can be recognized among the Staphylininae by the following combination of characters: elytra not overlapping, without plates anterior to the prosternum, neck present, impunctate and usually very broad (Fig. 1.12.8), antennae closer to the nearest eye than to each other (Fig. 2.2.3), pronotum impunctate or with dorsal rows of three or fewer punctures (Fig. 2.2.7), with empodial setae between the tarsal claws (Fig 2.2.9) and last maxillary palpomere not distinctly narrower than the preceding (Fig. 1.12.8).

The Quediina in the classic sense have been shown to be an artificial grouping of genera (Solodovnikov and Schomann 2009, Chatzimanolis et al. 2010) but all included genera occurring in ECAS, except Heterothops, belong in this subtribe sensu Chatzimanolis et al. (2010); Heterothops has been placed in the subtribe Amblyopinina.  Species of this group were revised by Smetana (1971a) and inhabit a diversity of habitats similar to those frequented by Philonthina but most are quite infrequently collected relative to the latter. One commonly encountered species is Quedius plagiatus (Mannerheim), which occurs under the bark of conifers, beech, and larger birch trees (Fig 10.5.1). Quedius mesomelinus (Marsham) is a European species often found in compost, gardens, and rotting fungi (Fig. 10.5.2). Some Quediina are strongly associated with the edges of lakes, wetlands, and streams. Sifting or treading old rotting leaves, moss, and other debris at these edges will often yield many individuals of Acylophorus Nordmann, distinctive in Staphylinini for its elbowed antennae (Fig. 10.5.3). Several species of Quediina are obligate or frequent inhabitants of beaver and muskrat lodges; Hemiquedius ferox (LeConte) is commonly encountered this way but also occurs in debris along lakeshores and in bogs (Fig. 10.5.4). The species of Quediina will be covered in greater detail in a future publication.