Brachynema Mulsant & Rey

Type Species: Brachynema Mulsant & Rey, 1852: Pentatoma roseipennis Mulsant & Rey, 1852, (= Cimex cinctus Fabricius, 1794), by monotypy. Oncoma Fieber, 1860: Rhaphigaster germarii Kolenati, 1846, by subsequent monotypy (Fieber, 1861).

Tribal Placement: This genus has often been placed in the Carpocorini. Since members of this genus are green in life, and usually remain green after death, this genus has tentatively been placed in the Nezarini. But its proper tribal placement needs further study.

Included Species:
cinctum (Fabricius, 1775)
     forskahlii (Gmelin, 1790)
     tarsatus (Klug, 1845)
     roseipennis (Mulsant & Rey, 1852)
     flavatum Horváth, 1896
     simonyi Horváth, 1896
     exul Horváth, 1896
     splendidum Montandon, 1900
     miniatulum Montandon, 1900
     venustulum Montandon, 1900
germarii (Kolenati, 1846)
     virens (Klug, 1845)
     anabasis (Becker, 1867)
     biplaga (Walker, 1867)
     flavomarginata (Jakovlev, 1871)
     griseus (Jakovlev, 1871)
     melanota Jakovlev, 1874
     alternatum Horváth, 1899
purpureomarginatum hypocrita Puton, 1887
     rungsi Vidal, 1936
     maroccana Vidal, 1949
purpureomarginatum kerzhneri Ribes & Pagola-Carte, 2007
purpureomarginatum purpureomarginatum (Rambur, 1839)
     baerensprungi (Mulsant & Rey, 1863)
purpureomarginatum triguttatum Fieber, 1870
     espagnoli Ribes, 1965
signatum Jakovlev, 1879
     turanicum Horváth, 1889
     immaculiscutum Kiritshenko, 1922

Key to species of the genus Brachynema
(Translated and modified from Ribes & Schmitz, 1992)

1 Scutellum lacking whitish-yellow spots along base	2
- Scutellum with a large white spot along base at middle, and usually another spot in each basal angle	3

2(1) Shorter (8-11 mm); form oval; rostrum, in general, not usually surpassing posterior margin of middle coxae; scutellum a little longer than broad, apex rounded; a small black spot usually present on the edge of each humeral angle; posterolateral angles of pygophore rounded	cinctum (Fabricius)
- Longer (11-14 mm); form more elongate; rostrum clearly surpassing hind margin of middle coxae; scutellum almost twice as long as broad, apex pointed; humeral angles lacking black spots; posterolateral angles of pygophore acute	germarii (Kolenati)

3(2) Usually with a whitish-yellow spot on pronotum near middle of anterior margin; the white middle spot along base of scutellum about the same size as the two lateral spots; at least antennal segments IV and V black; pygophore as long as broad, provided with a pair of tubercles along posterior margin at middle	signatum Jakovlev
- Pronotum lacking whitish-yellow spot near anterior margin; the white middle spot along base of scutellum much larger than the two lateral spots; antennal segments IV and V sometimes dark, but never black; pygophore broader than long, provided with a pair of distinct tubercles along posterior margin	purpureomarginatum (Rambur)

Ribes, J. and G. Schmitz. 1992. Révision du genre Brachynema Mulsant & Rey, 1852 (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae, Pentatominae). Bull. Ann. Soc. Belg. Ent. 128:105-166. [reprint]

David A. Rider
Professor of Entomology
North Dakota State University
E-Mail: David.Rider@ndsu.edu