Cantharis (Cantharis) melaspis (Chevrolat, 1854)

Fanti, Fabrizio & Ghahari, Hassan, 2016, A checklist of the soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea: Cantharidae) of Iran, Zootaxa 4196 (4), pp. 529-551 : 533-534

Cantharis (Cantharis) melaspis (Chevrolat, 1854)

Cantharis atrofoveolatus Pic, 1918: 22 . Locus typicus: “Perse” (coll. Pic). [synonymized by Wittmer 1971: 231].

Distribution in Iran. Alborz: Karadj ( Wittmer 1967). Golestan: Golae Lovae, Dashtnazir, 750- 1,400 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Gorgan ( Wittmer 1967). Guilan: Lenkoran, Caspian Sea ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Assalem, 80 km NW of Bandar-Anzali ( Wittmer 1967), Assalem, 1,300 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Rood-bar-Gazvin, 900- 1,500 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972). Kerman: Kuh-e Lalezar ( Švihla 1999). Khorasan ( Koçak & Kemal 2015). Lorestan ( Wittmer 1971, 1972). Mazandaran: Alamdeh, 500-900 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Chalus ( Wittmer 1967, 1971, 1972), Kalardacht ( Wittmer 1967; Švihla 1999). North Khorasan: Bojnourd ( Wittmer 1967, 1971 [1,100 m], 1972 [1,100 m]). Razavi Khorasan: Binalud Mts. ( Švihla 1999). Tehran: Polour, 2,100-2,200 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Polour-Abali, 2,100-2,600 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972), Golhak, Elburs, 1,700 m ( Wittmer 1971, 1972). Generic records: C. Iran ( Švihla 1999), Iran (Baudi di Selve 1873 [ Persia sept., G. Doria leg.]; Hicker 1925 [ Persia, as Cantharis atrofoveolatus ]; Delkeskamp 1939 [ Persia, as Cantharis atrofoveolata ], 1977 [ Persia, as Cantharis atrofoveolata ]; Kazantsev 2004, 2011; Kazantsev & Brancucci 2007; Yildirim et al. 2011; Kerimova & Huseynova 2014).

Distribution outside Iran. Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, ( Švihla 1999; Kazantsev & Brancucci 2007; Yildirim et al. 2011; Koçak & Kemal 2015), Turkmenistan ( Švihla 1999; Koçak & Kemal 2015).

Remarks. This species is highly variable in colour. In Central Iran, also the aedeagus appears variable ( Švihla 1999). The record for Tunisia ( Wittmer 1971) is probably incorrect due to the considerable distance from the type locality.