Recognition and revision of the group (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini).

Forty-nine new species of Neotropical Exosternini are described in this work, representing the newly recognized species group, within the large, heterogeneous taxon . Eight previously described species are also assigned to this group. Relationships within are indicated with several informal subgroups: subgroup: ( Hinton, 1935, , , , , , Marseul, 1889, , , , , , , , , Schmidt, 1893, , Reichensperger, 1939, , , , , , , ); subgroup: ( , , , Kanaar, 1997, , , , Wenzel & Dybas, 1941, Schmidt, 1893, (Lewis, 1898) , ); subgroup: ( , , , , , ); subgroup: ( , , , , ); subgroup: ( , ); subgroup: ( , , , ); - unplaced to subgroup: ( , , , ). Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Marseul, Schmidt, Reichensperger, Schmidt, and Lewis. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses of the broader Neotropical Exosternini do not support the monophyly of the group, nor of all of these subgroups, but the majority do fall within one large clade (which is potentially paraphyletic with respect to some other Neotropical exosternine genera). More work on the phylogeny and taxonomy of this diverse fauna is needed.