Anthaxia (Cratomerus), Solier, 1833

Bílý, Svatopluk, 2019, Subgeneric classification of the genus Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini), Zootaxa 4568 (2), pp. 261-278 : 265-266

Subgenus Cratomerus Solier, 1833

Type species: Buprestis cyanicornis Fabricius, 1781 (currently Anthaxia (Cratomerus) hungarica (Scopoli, 1772)) ; subsequent designation by Duponchel, (1844): 328.

Large (5.5–16.0 mm) species with typical colouration: green with silky lustre, pronotum usually with two black, longitudinal, well-defined stripes ( Fig. 6 ), elytra of female sometimes green-violet or violet and pronotum often with orange lateral sides ( Figs. 7 ); vertex very narrow (0.3–0.6 times as wide as width of eye), frons flat or weakly depressed; pronotum weakly convex, laterally flattened, sculpture consisting of rather rough, polygonal cells with central grains ( Fig. 44 ), cells often transversely enlarged on disc; male antennomeres widened and terminal antennomeres often bicolorous ( Fig. 6 ); elytra flattened, wedge-shaped, with well-developed lateral groove; elytral sculpture dense and homogenous; lateral emargination and subhumeral lobe strongly-developed ( Fig. 30 ), elytral epipleura wide but not reaching elytral apex; lateral sides of ventrites well-visible from above ( Figs. 6, 7 ); male metafemora more or less swollen, rarely simple, male meso- and metatibiae curved often with inner serrations or teeth, sometimes with long, white pubescence ( Fig. 6 ); aedeagus slender, spindle-shaped, parameres without lateral spines, median lobe without lateral serrations ( Fig. 60 ); anal ventrite of female almost always with deeply notched posterior margin.

BIONOMY. Development in broad-leaved trees and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION: western Palaearctic,with one species in northern China, one in Pakistan and two in Ethiopia. I presume this subgenus to be a typical example of the western Palaearctic fauna, with two closely related species reaching the northernmost part of the Afrotropical region.

Richter (1949) included in this subgenus (genus in his concept) some species of Haplanthaxia and Richteraxia subgen. nov. Actually the division between Cratomerus and Haplanthaxia is rather difficult to determine. There is no single constant character (except for the size and elytral sculpture) which can distinguish the subgenera—the whole set of characters must be taken in consideration.

SPECIES INCLUDED. In reality the subgenus contains only the A. (C.) diadema species-group, A. (C.) hungarica species-group and A. (C.) sponsa species-group; other species-groups mentioned by Bellamy (2008) belong to the subgenera Haplanthaxia or Richteraxia subgen. nov.

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 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.