Cantharis mauritanica, (Linnaeus, 1758)

Fanti, Fabrizio, 2024, Lampyridae: History of the type species of the genus Luciola, updated checklist of North African fireflies, and other taxonomic and faunistic notes, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 24 (1), pp. 43-64 : 50-51

P. mauritanica ( Linnaeus, 1758)

Cantharis mauritanica Linnaeus, 1758: 401 . Loc. typ. “Algiria”.

= Pelania maritanica J. E. Olivier, 1907a: 68 (Table alphabétique des genres et des espèces) incorrect subsequent spelling

= Pelania mauretanica Guzmán Álvarez & De Cock, 2010: 199 , poster incorrect subsequent spelling; De Cock & Guzmán Álvarez, 2014: poster; Guzmán Álvarez & De Cock, 2017: poster incorrect subsequent spellings - name not available by the Code because proposed in two poster

= Lampronetes mauritanica (F.) Motschulsky, 1853: 46 nomen nudum, 1854c: 16

= Lampyris obtusa Fairmaire, 1866: 44 . Loc. typ. “ Tanger ” [synonymized by Olivier 1884: 6]

= Pelania angustipennis J. E. Olivier, 1883 : lxix. Loc. typ. “entre Bone et Hippone ( Algeria)”

= Lampyris (Pelania) scutellata Fairmaire, 1884 : xxxv. Loc. typ. “ Sousse ( Tunisie)” [synonymized by Olivier 1884: 6]

= Pelania imperfecta J. E. Olivier, 1899: 92- 93 . Loc. typ. “ Laghouat ( Algérie)”

Distribution. Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco (Bourgeois 1882-1894; Olivier 1895).

The distribution limits in western and eastern North Africa are unclear ( Türkay 1974). Mentioned for Egypt ( Cros 1924), this seems like a dubious citation. Spain: Melilla ( Pardo Alcaide 1950). It is not clear whether it was found in the Spanish territories (North Africa) or around Melilla in Moroccan territories (see also: Fanti 2022), even if the title of the work mentions Morocco. However, the presence in Melilla ( Spain) appears very probable.

The numerous old citations from Spain, Portugal, and France are obvious errors of determination.

“Tout le Maroc, sauf au Sud de l’Atlas, pouvant atteindre en montagne près de 2 000 m (Timelilt)” ( Kocher 1956). “Dans l’Est et dans l’Ouest du Nord de l’Afrique” ( Lucas 1846). “Dans tout le Nord de l'Afrique, de la Tunisie, au Maroc, on la trouve communément dans tout le Tell et les Hauts plateaux, mais elle devient bien plus rare en approchant de la région Saharienne où elle ne pénètre pas” ( Olivier 1895).

Note. As demonstrated by Fanti (2022), the species was described in 1758 and not in 1767, as confirmed, only later, by Keller (2022). Photographs of the male’s habitus is present in Martin et al. (2019a), Berger et al. (2021), Fanti (2022), and Guzmán Álvarez & De Cock (2023). The type of obtusa was not found in the Fairmaire collection ( Kocher 1956: note (2)). The type of angustipennis seen by Türkay (1974) in the Olivier collection. The lucibufagins were studied by Berger et al. (2021). Females and larvae are well-known, as well as some brachelytrous males ( Cros 1924; Bugnion 1933, 1934). The aedeagus is illustrated in Türkay (1974). It is a non-obligate myrmecophilous species ( De Cock 2009). McDermott (1964: 7, 8, 17, 1966: 8) believes that Lampronetes Motschulsky takes precedence over Pelania Mulsant , but Türkay (1974) said this is not possible, even if it is an objective synonym, because it was essentially prohibited by the Code, which preserves the stability of a name.

Pelania imperfecta was described as a species ( Olivier 1899) and then considered as a variety ( Olivier 1907a, 1910; McDermott 1966), but was considered a subspecies by Keller & Martin (2024) because of a misinterpretation of the Code ( ICZN 1999: Art. 45.6.). This act by Keller & Martin (2024) is a misinterpretation of the Code because the Code provides the cases in which a name may be available (subspecific) or not available (infrasubspecific), but does not automatically establish the status. Pelania angustipennis var. imperfecta J. E. Olivier, 1899 stat. rest.

Checklist of the species to be excluded from Africa: