Exochomus nigromaculatus

Exochomus nigromaculatus

Exochomus nigromaculatus Goeze, 1777 is a small (3,5-4,5mm) Ladybird beetle (Coccinellidae) in the subfamily Chilocorinae, tribe Chilocorini. Being bound to specific habitats in heath/moorlands its presence is always limited locally and its mostly considered a rare/scarce species.
Exochomus nigromaculatus Chilocorinae,Chilocorini,Coccinellidae,Coleoptera,Exochomus,Exochomus nigromaculatus,Ladybird,Paraexochomus,nl: Zwart lieveheersbeestje

Appearance

The beetle is completely black above, with only the pronotum laterally, mouthparts, legs and venter orange-brown.
Exochomus nigromaculatus - Larva Larva of Exochomus nigromaculatus with some details enhanced to distinguish it from Exochomus quadripustulatus larvae. A younger larva, with less develloped colour patterns here: https://www.jungledragon.com/image/54342/exochomus_nigromaculatus_-_young_larva.html Chilocorinae,Chilocorini,Coccinellidae,Coleoptera,Exochomus,Exochomus nigromaculatus,Ladybird,Larva,Paraexochomus,nl: Zwart lieveheersbeestje

Naming

There is and has been much debate on the generic naming of "Exochomus" sensu lato, with some species historically being moved forth and back between Exochomus and Brumus. Lately some authors, mostly eastern European, place nigromaculatus in the genus Paraexochomus, but many sources and books do not follow, or are not updated yet, so for the most part the beetle is (still?) referred to as an Exochomus.
Some vernacular names are: Dutch: "Zwart lieveheersbeestje"; French: "Coccinelle noire"; German: "Schwarzer Schildlaus-Marienkäfer".
Exochomus nigromaculatus - Young larva On the younger larvae the colours of the dorso-lateral bristles on ab.1 are not yet develloped, compare to the mature larva here: https://www.jungledragon.com/image/54339/exochomus_nigromaculatus_-_larva.html Chilocorinae,Chilocorini,Coccinellidae,Coleoptera,Exochomus,Exochomus nigromaculatus,Ladybird,Larva,Paraexochomus,nl: Zwart lieveheersbeestje

Distribution

It has a broad distribution range in the southern Palearctic, including central Europe (but not Scandinavia) and excluding northern Africa. It has been confused historically (at the southern limits of its distribution range) with the similar African species (Para)Exochomus flavipes, so that many old records would need to be re-evaluated and not taken at face value.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyCoccinellidae
GenusExochomus
SpeciesExochomus nigromaculatus
Photographed in
Netherlands