Cantharis (s.str.) cantholoma Gebler, 1833

Kazantsev, S. V., 2022, On the status of some of the Cantharis Linnaeus, 1758 species described in the first half of the 19 th century by Ménétriés, Gebler and Fischer von Waldheim (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Russian Entomological Journal 31 (1), pp. 42-46 : 44

Cantharis (s.str.) cantholoma Gebler, 1833

Fig. 1 .

Cantharis cantholoma Gebler, 1833: 280 .

= Cantharis auliensis Pic, 1914: 4 .

= Cantharis bimaculifera Heyden, 1888: 41 .

= Telephorus biplagiatus Ballion, 1871: 351 , syn.n.

= Cantharis biplagiaticollis Pic, 1914: 5 .

= Cantharis chianschanensis Pic, 1913: 187 .

= Cantharis dia Reitter, 1898: 123 .

= Cantharis funestula Pic, 1906: 82 .

= Cantharis kiritschenkoi Barovskij, 1926: 240 .

= Cantharis musarti Pic, 1913: 187 .

= Cantharis uniplagiata Pic, 1914: 5 .

= Cantharis xantholoma Gebler, 1833 , incorrect subsequent spelling.

REMARKS. The type of Cantharis cantholoma Gebler, 1833 has not been found yet. Its description reads as follows: ‘Brevis lutea; vertice, thoracis punctis duobus, pectore, scutello, elytris thorace latioribus abdominique nigris, his margine luteis. Long. 3 lin. Lat. 1 lin. (Semel prope Loktewsk capta). A C. laterali statura breviore, colore antennarum, punctis thoracis, elytris hoc latioribus distincta.’ [ Gebler, 1833]. Although the taxon was compared to C. lateralis Linnaeus, 1758 , its description may be attributed to just one Cantharinae species occurring in the Altai region (where ‘Loktewsk’ is located), which is currently known as Cantharis biplagiata (Ballion, 1871) [ Kazantsev, Brancucci, 2007; Kazantsev, 2011]. It is, indeed, easily differentiated from C. lateralis by the wider body and elytra, black legs and antennae, as well as by the elytral coloration ( Fig. 1 ). This rather variable in appearance species is distributed from Central Asia, northwestern China (Xinjiang) and Altai to East Siberia (Yakutia, Buryatia, Irkutsk Oblast) and Mongolia [ Kazantsev, Brancucci, 2007; Kazantsev, 2011]. As the two species apparently belong to a single taxon, Telephorus biplagiatus Ballion, 1871 , syn.n. is proposed as a junior synonym of Cantharis cantholoma Gebler, 1833 .

This taxon has been long cited as C. xantholoma Gebler, 1833 [ Jacobson, 1911; Delkeskamp, 1977; Kazantsev, Brancucci, 2007; Kazantsev, 2011] and it seems to be the case when an incorrect subsequent spelling is in prevailing usage, and thus is to be preserved, according to Article 33 of the ICZN. However, as no single specimen has ever been attributed to this taxon after its publication, the return to its original spelling does not seem to refute any practice and/or usage whatsoever, and, therefore, appears to be thoroughly appropriate.

Figures

Figs 1–2. General view of Cantharis, males: 1 — C. cantholoma; 2 — C. daurica. Рис. 1–2. ОбЩий вид Cantharis, самцы: 1 — C. cantholoma; 2 — C. daurica.