Revision of the genera Brumus Muls. and Exochomus Redtb. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) of the Palaearctic Region. Part I.

Abstract: The current concept of the genera Exochomus Redtb., Brumus Muls. and their Palaearctic species are revised with respect to the genus Brumoides Chpn. Current opinions on the classification of the above genera within the tribe Chilocorini are discussed. The poor diagnostic characters hitherto used to separate the genera Brumus Muls. and Exochomus Redtb. appeared to be adaptive ones, being subjects of parallel evolution. A new concept of the studied genera, based on further, hitherto largely neglected characters, is proposed, and the new genus Priscibrumus gen. n., (type-species Exochomus puniceipennis Semenov, 1900) is described to accomodate 6 species with uncovered lateral parts of the pronotal base. The nearctic species with a non-bordered base of pronotum are not considered members of the studied genera. The genera Exochomus Redtb. and Brumoides Chpn. are found to be closely related. The subgenus Xanthocorus Miyat. is considered to be a distinct genus. The following available names, originally described as varieties are considered to be valid names of species (new status): gebleri Weise, septemmaculatus Weise, quadriguttatus Fleischer and cedri Sahlberg. The following new combinations are proposed: Brumus kiritshenkoi (Barovskij), B. undulatus (Weise), B. septemmaculatus (Weise), B. mongol (Barovskij), B. quadriguttatus (Fleischer), B. nigropictus (Fairmaire), B. cedri (Sahlberg), B. quadripustulatus (L.), Priscibrumus puniceipennis (Semenov), P. trijunctus (Kapur), P. himalayensis (Kapur), P. uropygialis (Mulsant), P. trubetzkoi (Barovskij), P. lituratus (Gorham) (all from Exochomus Redtenbacher). Lectotypes of the following species are designated: E. kiritshenkoi Bar., E. undulatus var. Septemmaculatus Weise, E. quadripustulatus var. cedri Sahlberg. The following new synonymies are established: E. kiritshenkoi Bar., partim (Iran) = B. gebleri Weise; E. georgi Fiirsch = B. mongol (Bar.); E. quadripustulatus ssp. cordiformis Roubal = E. illaesicollis Roubal = B. quadriguttatus (Fleischer); E. muelleri Mader = B. cedri (Sahlberg). B. cedri (Sahlberg) stat. n., comb. n. is given as new for the fauna of Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

Key words: taxonomy, new genus, new status, new combinations, new synonymy, lecotypes, keys, bionomy, faunistics