The history of the discovery of the Central and South American Staphylinidae fauna is reported beginning with the start of modern taxonomy in the mid of the eighteenth century up to the present. An overview over the number of genera is given for all Central and South American countries. The subfamily Osoriinae is described in more detail. The similarities of the faunal compositions between countries are analysed, and countries with similar composition are combined to larger regions. Biodiversity and biogeographic peculiarities within the Neotropics and to other continents are described and discussed.