Anthaxia (Melanthaxia), Richter, 1949

Bílý, Svatopluk, 2019, Subgeneric classification of the genus Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini), Zootaxa 4568 (2), pp. 261-278 : 267

Subgenus Melanthaxia Richter, 1949

Type species: Anthaxia godeti Gory & Laporte, 1839 .

Black, dark bronze, only exceptionally blue, blue-violet or green species without pronotal or elytral pattern ( Figs. 12 , 13 ); pronotum more or less regularly convex, lateroposterior depressions often small or weak, pronotal sculpture usually rough consisting of coarse, polygonal cells (often longitudinally prolonged along lateral margins), with large central grains ( Figs. 43 ); pronotum very often with four small, rounded depressions at midlength ( Fig. 12 ); subhumeral lobe very weak, as well as the lateral elytral emargination ( Figs. 35, 36 ); elytral epipleura wide, not reaching elytral apex; aedeagus spindle-shaped or elongate, parameres always without lateral spines, median lobe without lateral serrations ( Figs. 57–59 ); anal ventrite of female apically rounded or truncate; male meso- and metatrochanters of some species with small or large spine; sexual dichromatism absent, exceptionally expressed only by slightly different colouration of frons or ventral surface.

One of the best defined subgenera of Anthaxia , which is also well-characterised by its bionomy.

BIONOMY. Development in Conifers; the majority of species are flower-visitors.

DISTRIBUTION: Holoarctic region; the distribution more or less mirrors the distribution of the genus Carabus Linnaeus, 1759 (Carabidae) .

SPECIES INCLUDED. The following species-groups are included: aeneogaster species-group, californica species-group, carmen species-group, conradti species-group, helvetica species-group, istriana species-group, leechi species-group, morio species-group, nanula species-group, neofunerula species-group, obesa species-group, oregonensis species-group, prasina species-group, quadripunctata species-group, strigata species-group, sturanyi species-group. Also in this subgenus there are many species which have not been attributed to any species-group, so far.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Anthaxia, dorsal aspect. 1—Anthaxia (Anthaxia) fulgurans (Schrank), male, 4.5 mm; 2—A. (A.) plicata plicata Kiesenwetter, female, 5.1 mm; 3—A. (A.) salicis salicis (Fabricius), male, 4.1 mm; 4—A. (A.) malachitica Abeille, male, 2.1 mm; 5—A. (A.) stepanovi Richter, holotype, 3.0 mm; 6—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli), male, 12.0 mm; 7—the same, female, 13.5 mm; 8—A. (Haplanthaxia) dispar Kerremans, male, 7.5 mm; 9—A. (H.) cichorii (Olivier), male, 5.1 mm; 10—A. (H.) kneuckeri zabranskyi Bílý, male, 5.1 mm; 11—A. (A.) cashmirensis Obenberger, male, 8.5 mm; 12—A. (Melanthaxia) godeti Gory & Laporte, male, 4.7 mm.

FIGURES 13–24. Anthaxia, dorsal aspect. 13—Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) kochi Obenberger, male, 6.5 mm; 14- A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug), male, 6.1 mm; 15—A. (R.) congolana Kerremans, male, 11.0 mm; 16—A. (R.) marginifera metallescens Bílý, male, 9.1 mm; 17—A. (Merocratus) miranda Deyrolle, female, 8.0 mm; 18—A. (Thailandica.) rondoni Baudon, 5.5 mm; 19—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans, lectotype, 3.9 mm; 20—the same, male, blue form, 4.5 mm; 21—A. (Cap.) hilaris Gory, female, 4.8 mm; 22—A. (Cap.) aterrima Kerremans, male, 7.1 mm; 23—A. (Cap.) sulcicollis Obenberger, male, 4.0 mm; 24—the same, female, 5.8 mm.

FIGURES 40–54. Anthaxia, pronotal sculpture (not in scale). 40—Anthaxia (Anthaxia) fulgurans (Schrank); 41—A. (A.) salicis salicis (Fabricius); 42—A. (A.) manca (Fabricius); 43—A. (Melanthaxia) nigrojubata nigrojubata Roubal; 44—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli); 45—A. (Haplanthaxia) cichorii (Olivier); 46—A. (H.) kneuckeri zabranskyi Bílý; 47—A. (H.) pumila (Klug); 48—A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug); 49—A. (R.) marginifera metallescens Bílý; 50— A. (Merocratus) tamdaoensis Bílý; 51—A. (Thailandia) rondoni Baudon; 52—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans; 53—A. (Cap.) aterrima Kerremans; 54—A. (Cap.) sulcicollis Obenberger.

FIGURES 25–39. Anthaxia, subhumeral lobe (not in scale). 25—Anthaxia (Richteraxia) amplithorax Kerremans, white arrow indicates “lock" in humeral callosity; 26—A. (Anthaxia) salicis salicis (Fabricius); 27—A. (A.) fulgurans (Schrank); 28—A. (A.) plicata plicata Kiesenwetter; 29—A. (A.) stepanovi Richter, holotype; 30—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli); 31—A. (Haplanthaxia) cichorii (Olivier); 32—A. (H.) caseyi Obenberger; 33—A. (H.) dispar Kerremans; 34—A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug); 35—A. (Melanthaxia) quadripunctata (Linnaeus); 36—A. (M.) kochi Obenberger; 37—A. (Merocratus) insulaecola Obenberger; 38—A. (Thailandia.) rondoni Baudon; 39—A. (Capanthzaxia..) hilaris Gory.

FIGURES 55–76. Anthaxia, aedeagi (not in scale). 55—Anthaxia (Anthaxia) candens (Panzer); 56—A. (A.) kmoniceki Bílý; 57—A. (Melanthaxia) nigrojubata incognita Bílý; 58—A. (M.) helvetica Stierlin; 59—A. (M.) obesa Abeille; 60—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli); 61—A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug); 62—A. (R.) crassa Obenberger; 63—A. (R.) imperatrix Obenberger; 64—A. (Haplanthaxia) elaeagni Richter; 65—A. (H.) nigroaenea Bílý; 66—A. (H.) pseudocongregata Descarpentries; 67—A. (H.) kneuckeri zabranskyi Bílý; 68—A. (H.) deimos Bílý; 69—A. (H.) dispar Kerremans; 70—A. (H.) loebli Bílý; 71—A. (H.) thailandica Bílý; 72—A. (H.) occulta Bílý; 73—A. (H.) duodevicesima Bílý; 74—A. (Merocratus) longipilis Bílý; 75—A. (Thailandica) rondoni; 76—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans.