27. Calathus (Neocalathus) cinctus Motschulsky, 1850

Figs 4 H, 5 J

Habitat and general distribution.

Calathus cinctus has a wide distribution in Europe and Near East (Arndt et al. 2011). The species prefers open habitats, with sparse vegetation (Brigić et al. 2016).

Material examined.

• Lasithi: Moni Toplou, phrygana, 35.236595°N, 26.227372°E, 170 m elev., 11.XII.1993, handpicking, 1 spm, leg. Trichas A. (NHMC) ; • Koufonisi isl., northern beach, 34.945326°N, 26.141217°E, 2 m elev., 1.XI.1997 – 16.I.1998, pitfall traps, 1 spm, leg. Trichas A. (NHMC) ; • Xerokampos salt-lake, 35.049107°N, 26.236602°E, 1 m elev., 1.IV.2015 – 31.V.2015, pitfall traps, 2 spms, leg. Pavlou Chr. (NHMC) ; • Xerokampos phrygana, 35.050610°N, 26.240080°E, 2 m elev., 5.VIII.2015 – 26.XI.2015, pitfall traps, 4 spms, leg. Pavlou Chr. (NHMC) ; • Bramiana Dam, 35.049097°N, 25.696204°E, 88 m elev., 19.X.2017 – 13.XII.2017, pitfall traps, 1 spm, leg. Amyntas A. (NHMC) ; • same data, but 13.XII.2017 – 15.III.2018, 6 spms; • Bramiana Dam, in phrygana vegetation, 35.048798°N, 25.697588°E; 72 m elev., 13.XII.2017 – 15.III.2018, pitfall traps, 10 spms, leg. Amyntas A. (NHMC) ; • Kouremenos wetland, 35.204399°N, 26.271505°E, 1 m elev., 13.IV.2022 – 10.VI.2022, pitfall traps, 2 spms, leg. Bolanakis G. (NHMC) .

Comments.

Calathus cinctus is known in Greece from Greek mainland, Peloponnese and the Aegean (Arndt et al. 2011). To our knowledge, this is the first time C. cinctus has been reported from Crete. The species has been found mainly in coastal saline wetlands (Kouremenos, Xerokampos), but also in inland artificial dams (Bramiana) and phrygana vegetation (Moni Toplou). It appears to be sympatric with the closely related species C. mollis . Calathus cinctus is restricted to east Crete, not crossing the isthmus of Ierapetra, which may indicate an eastern origin.