Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas , Kiesenwetter 1857
Creators: name: Baiocchi, Daniele
name: Magnani, Gianluca
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Buprestidae
Anthaxia
Anthaxia midas

description: Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas Kiesenwetter, 1857
(Figs. 10, 11, 12, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 82, 83, 92, 93, 103, 108, 114, 115, 119, 122, 127, 132, 136)
Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas Kiesenwetter, 1857: 90 ‒91. Type locality: “Südfrankreich, Italien und Dalmatien”.
Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas: Barthe, 1902: 10 (faunistic catalogue); Cobos, 1986: 308 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 69, 73 (Fig.3C) (faunistics); Bílý, 1997: 28, 61, 92, 94, 98, 117, 133, 148, 150, 161, 164, 169 (catalogue); Ruicănescu, 1997: 125 (faunistics; taxonomy); Mühle et al., 2000: 128, 221 (map 122) (faunistic catalogue); Sakalian & Langourov, 2001: 152, 157, 162 (faunistics); Muskovits & Hegyessy, 2002: 183, Fig. 62 (faunistic catalogue); Ruicănescu, 2002: 128 (faunistics); Sakalian, 2003: 117 (map 86), 118 (faunistic catalogue); Verdugo Páez, 2005: 105, 118 (faunistic catalogue); Bílý, 2006: 59, 372 (catalogue); Sakalian, 2007: 11, 13, 14 (Fig. 5 /2), 15, 16 (taxonomy); Bellamy, 2008: 1426 (catalogue); Izzillo, 2010: 3 (faunistics); Ruicănescu, 2013: 81, 82 (Fig. 60) (faunistic catalogue); López Vergara et al., 2015: 412 (faunistics); Kubáň et al., 2016: 499 (catalogue).
Anthaxia midas: Jacquelin Du Val, 1861: 141 (catalogue, systematics); Marseul, 1863: 136 (catalogue); 1865: 229, 230, 235 (syn. of croesus sensu Gory & Laporte (not cresus (Villers)) (monograph); Stein, 1868: 61 (syn. of croesus (Villers)) (catalogue); Gemmiger & Harold, 1869: 1388 (syn. of croesus (Villers)) (catalogue); Bertolini, 1872: 117 (faunistic catalogue); Gozis, 1875: 48 (syn. of craesus (Villers)) (faunistic catalogue); Fauconnet, 1892: 250 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Kerremans, 1892: 119, 124 (catalogue); Acloque, 1897: 277 (taxonomic catalogue); Warnier, 1901: 95 (faunistic catalogue); Mayet, 1902: 117 (faunistics); Kerremans, 1903: 176 (catalogue); Mollandin De Boissy, 1903: 151 (biology); Schilsky, 1909: 113 (faunistic catalogue); Csiki, 1911: 165 (key; faunistics); Obenberger, 1912: 66‒67 (taxonomy); Caillol, 1913: 484 (faunistic catalogue); Jakobson, 1913: 792 (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1917: 81 (syn. of croesus sensu Gory & Laporte (not cresus (Villers)) (monograph); Mollandin De Boissy, 1924: 117‒118 (biology); Obenberger, 1926: 647 (catalogue); Luigioni, 1929: 587 (faunistic catalogue); Porta, 1929: 392 (faunistic catalogue); Fuente, 1930: 123 (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1930: 501 (catalogue); Schaefer, 1934: 130 (taxonomy); 1936: 318, 322, 325, 328, 338, 339, 345 (Fig. 41) (faunistic catalogue); 1937: 49 (biology); 1938: 206, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212 (Figs. 77,78), 214, 216, 218, 281 (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1938: 192 (taxonomy); Kaszab, 1940: 92 (faunistic catalogue); Schaefer, 1940: 23, 25 (faunistics); Théry, 1942: 77, 90 (Fig.63) (monograph); Schaefer, 1944: 100, 104 (taxonomy); Peyerimhoff, 1948: 72 (faunistics); Gridelli, 1949: 171 (faunistics); Richter, 1949: 152 (subg. Cyclanthaxia) (monograph); Schaefer, 1950: 268, 487 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Hervé, 1953: 562, 563 (biology); 1954: 392 (biology); 1955: 425 (biology); 1956: 331, 335 (Fig. 2) (biology); Kocher, 1956: 136 (faunistic catalogue); Baudon, 1957: 251 (faunistics, taxonomy); Hervé, 1957: 817, 818, 819, 820, 823 (Fig.), 824 (faunistics, biology); Cassola, 1968: 30, 31 (faunistics); Novak, 1970: 22 (faunistics); Drovenik & Hladil, 1984: 12, 17 (faunistics); Pupier, 1993: 35 (faunistics); Vlad-Anonie & Ruicănescu, 1996: 229 (taxonomy); Sparacio, 1997: 53 (faunistic catalogue); Ruicănescu, 1998: 252 (faunistics); Muñoz et al., 1999: 199 (faunistics); San Martin et al., 2000: 78 (faunistics); Verdugo Páez, 2005: 118 (faunistic catalogue); Ruicănescu, 2008: 209 (taxonomy).
“ Anthaxia midas Gory & Laporte ” sensu Schaefer, 1938: 207 (faunistic catalogue).
Anthaxia midas sensu Obenberger: Richter, 1949: 152 (monograph); Schaefer, 1950: 487 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Cobos, 1986: 308 (syn. of oberthuri) (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy).
Anthaxia midas sensu Schaefer: Richter, 1949: 152 (monograph).
Anthaxia midas sensu lato: Sakalian, 2007: 15 (taxonomy).
Anthaxia craesa sensu Gory & Laporte (1839: 15, Pl. 4, Fig. 19) (monograph); Obenberger, 1917: 6, 19, 45, 81, 130, 131, Table A, Fig. 5 (monograph); Richter, 1949: 152 (monograph).
Anthaxia croesa: Kiesenwetter, 1857: 90 (faunistics; taxonomy); Jacquelin Du Val, 1861: 141 (catalogue, systematics); Marseul, 1863: 136 (catalogue); Théry, 1942: 90 (monograph); Schaefer, 1950: 268, 269, 487 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Cobos, 1986: 164 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Curletti, 1994: 94 (faunistic catalogue); Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 73 (faunistics); Bellamy, 2008: 1426 (catalogue).
Anthaxia croesus: Marseul, 1857: 93 (catalogue); 1865: 207, 229, 230, 235 (monograph); Saunders, 1871: 52 (croesus sensu Gory & Laporte syn. of cresus (Villers)) (catalogue); Kerremans, 1892: 124 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Barthe, 1902: 10 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Mayet, 1902: 117 (syn. of midas) (faunistics); Kerremans, 1903: 176 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Schilsky, 1909: 113 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Csiki, 1911: 165 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Jakobson, 1913: 792 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1926: 647 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Luigioni, 1929: 587 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Fuente, 1930: 123 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1930: 502 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); 1938: 206 (Croesus sensu Gory & Laporte, préocc. Villers), 208, 209, 216, 281 (faunistic catalogue); Schaefer, 1940: 23 (faunistics); Théry, 1942: 90 (monograph); Peyerimhoff, 1948: 72 (faunistics); Richter, 1949: 152 (monograph); Schaefer, 1950: 269 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Cobos, 1986: 308 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Curletti, 1994: 94 (faunistic catalogue); Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 73 (faunistics); Bílý, 1997: 28, 61, 148 (catalogue); Bellamy, 2008: 1426 (catalogue).
Anthaxia (Cyclanthaxia) croesus (Villers) m. spathuligera: Richter, 1949: 149, 250 (monograph).
Anthaxia salicis var. spathuligera Obenberger, 1924: 27, Type locality: “Trebinje, Hercegovina”.
Anthaxia salicis var. spathuligera: Obenberger, 1926: 647 (spathulifera [sic!]) (catalogue); Schaefer, 1938: 211 (var. of salicis), 213 (ab. of salicis), 218 (var. of salicis), 28 (ab. of salicis) (faunistic catalogue).
Anthaxia salicis spathuligera: Cobos, 1958: 87 (taxonomy).
Anthaxia midas spathuligera: Obenberger, 1930: 529 (catalogue); 1938: 192, 193 (taxonomy); Schaefer, 1944: 100 (taxonomy); 1950: 269 (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Muñoz et al., 1999: 199 (faunistics).
Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas spathuligera: Cobos, 1986: 164 (ssp. of midas), 309 (syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Bílý, 1997: 28, 117, 164 (catalogue); 2006: 372 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Bellamy, 2008: 1426, 1477 (syn. of midas) (catalogue).
Anthaxia (Anthaxia) spathuligera: Sakalian, 2007: 11, 13, 14 (Fig 5 /1), 15, 16 (full species) (taxonomy); Kubáň et al., 2016: 21, 501 (catalogue).
Anthaxia midas muelleri Obenberger, 1925: 56 (Mülleri [sic!]). Type locality: “Istria”.
Anthaxia midas muelleri: Obenberger, 1926: 647 (Mülleri [sic!]) (catalogue); Porta, 1929: 393 (Mülleri [sic!]) (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1930: 502 (Mülleri [sic!]) (catalogue); Schaefer, 1938: 208, 209, 281 (Mülleri [sic!], syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue); Obenberger, 1938: 192 (Mülleri [sic!]) (taxonomy); Gridelli, 1949: 171 (Mülleri [sic!]) (faunistics); Schaefer, 1950: 269 (Mülleri [sic!]) (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy; biology); Cassola, 1968: 31 (mülleri [sic!]) (faunistics); Cobos, 1986: 309 (mülleri [sic!], syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue; taxonomy); Curletti, 1994: 94 (mülleri [sic!], syn. of midas) (faunistic catalogue).
Anthaxia midas var. muelleri: Luigioni, 1929: 587 (Mülleri [sic!]) (faunistic catalogue).
Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas muelleri: Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 73 (mülleri [sic!], syn. of midas) (faunistics); Bílý, 1997: 28, 94, 161 (mulleri [sic!]) (catalogue); Bílý, 2006: 59, 372 (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Sakalian, 2007: 14 (muelleri, mülleri [sic!]) (taxonomy); Bellamy, 2008: 1426, 1432, (syn. of midas) (catalogue); Kubáň et al., 2016: 21 (syn. of spathuligera), 501 (catalogue).
Misidentification: Anthaxia midas Kiesenwetter, 1857 sensu Tenenbaum (1915: 85): in fact Anthaxia (H.) croesus (Villers, 1789).
Misidentification: Anthaxia midas Kiesenwetter, 1857 sensu Curletti, 1994: 94, 228 (Fig. 77), 269, 277, 296, 298 (in fact Anthaxia (A.) oberthuri Schaefer, 1938 stat. nov.) (faunistic catalogue); Gobbi, in Gobbi & Platia, 1995: 14 (faunistic catalogue); Curletti et al., 2003: CD-Rom, species nr. 83 (faunistic catalogue); Curletti, 2005: CD-Rom: species code nr. 0 52.117.0.014.0.001 (faunistic catalogue); Baiocchi, 2008: 325, 327, 328 (Figs 4, 5), 329 (Fig. 10), 330, 331 (taxonomy).
Misidentification: Anthaxia midas: Kaufmann, 1914: 55 (wrong interpretation of Viertl (1894: 49), in fact Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) olympica Kiesenwetter, 1880) (faunistic catalogue).
Misidentification: Anthaxia midas mulleri Obenberger, 1925 sensu Curletti et al., 2003: CD-Rom, species nr. 84 (in fact Anthaxia (A.) oberthuri Schaefer, 1938) (faunistic catalogue).
Type specimens studied. Anthaxia (A.) midas: lectotype by present designation (♂, MNHN: Figs. 10, 11, 18; original labelling: Fig. 12); paralectotype [former holotype of A. midas, actually a specimen of A. oberthuri]: (♂, ZSMG: Figs. 13, 14, 16, 17; original labelling: Fig. 15); Anthaxia (A.) spathuligera: (originally described as A. salicis var. spathuligera) lectotype by present designation (♂, NMPC inv. 22252: Figs. 21, 22, 24, 25, 115; original labelling: Fig. 23); Anthaxia (A.) midas muelleri: lectotype by present designation (♀, NMPC inv. 22251: Figs. 28, 29; original labelling: Fig. 30).
Additional material studied. Croatia: Croatia Ljubovo, 730m Elev., 44.6433°N 15.4919°E, 18‒20.5.2015 M.Kafka lgt.(29 exx. MKCN; 4♂♂4♀♀ DBCR); Croatia bor., Ljubovo 900 m.n.m, 24.5.2014, Z.Minarik lgt. (1ex. MKCN); Croatia bor. mont., Ljubovo env. 980m, J.Bradka lgt. 23.‒25.5.2014 (2 exx. VHCN); 13877 // croesus De Villers, croesa Gory Lap., Zara Schmidt (1♂ MFNB); JUGOSLAVIA, DUBROVNIK 7.77, J. Navrátil lgt. (1ex. MKCN); JUGOSLAVIA, DUBROVNIK v.1977, J. HLADIL leg. (2♂♂ VKCB; 1♂PBCK); same data, 5 72 (1♀ HMCM); same data, ex larva 1983 (1♀ VKCB); Croatia (HR) Velebit env. Susanj M. VI.2005 leg. Zirkel (1ex. MNCA); CROAZIA VELEBIT, OSTARIJE, 3 5 87 L.PAD. MA? (1♀ GMCC); Croatia, Gorski Kotar, Zeleni Vir, 45.426124, 14.892392, 8.6.2009, leg. T. Koren (1♀ TKCZ); Croatia, Velebit, Paklenica, Paklenica Mountain home surroundings, 44.345847, 15.482083, 1.5.2008, leg. T. Koren (1♂ TKCZ). Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ilijaš [15 km NW of Sarajevo], Misoča river, Apfelbeck coll. (1♀ VKCB); Jablanica, 6.vi.1905 (1♀ VKCB). Montenegro: JUGOSLAVIA, PETROVAC, 16 6 73, J. HLADIL lgt. (1♂ GMCC); same data, vi.1974 (1♀ SBCP); same data, 1975 (1♂1♀ SBCP); same data, v. 75 (1♂ PBCK; 1♀ HMCM; 1ex. MKCN); same data, v.1976 (1♂ SBCP); same data, v.1984 (1♂2♀♀ SBCP); same data, 3/84 (1♂3♀♀ GMCC); same data, 6.86 (1ex. MKCN); same data [date not readable] (1♂1♀ MNCA); JUGOSLAVIA, PETROVAC 1984, J. HLADIL lgt. ex larve (1♂ MOCO); JUGOSLAVIA, Petrovac VI.74, lgt. Navrátil (4♂♂5♀♀ FNCB; 1♂1♀ NMPC; 1ex. MKCN); Montenegro 2014, Gornje Stravce env. Zijovo, 22.5.2014, P. Hubený lgt. (1 ex. PHCC). Macedonia: Maced. occ. Monast., St. Johan Bigorsky env., 13. VI.1994, leg. O. Hovorka (1ex. MKCN); MAKEDONIA—SW, N.P. Galicia—26.6., 600— 1500m 2014, J.Halada&M. Fabianova (1ex. MKCN); Veles [as Titov Veles], vi.1974, F. Navrátil leg. (2♂♂2♀♀ FNCB); Kozhuf plain, vi.1974, F. Navrátil leg. (1♂6♀♀ FNCB). Bulgaria: Bulgaria SW, STRUMA river valley, gara Yavorov railway station (0.8 km E), 41°44'54"N 23°09'48"E, swept, 210 m, 1.‒8.vii.1982, Vít. Kubáň leg. (1♂ VKCB). Greece: Epirus: N GREECE 2.‒17.6.12, Konitsa env. 1100m, Krajčík and Hampl lgt. (1ex. MKCN); GREECE, Ioanina, Distrato 1400m, 6.VI.1986, leg. G. Novak (1 ex. FICN; 1 ex DGCC); GRECIA, Ioanina, Oros Timfi, Vrissohori dint., 29‒30.VI.1993, leg. G. Gobbi (1 ex. FICN); VRISSOHORI GRECIA, M. TIMFI 1000m 30.VI.93, MAROZZINI LEGIT (1♂ DBCR). Macedonia: Greece centr., Thessalia, Pindos mts. E part, Kria Vrisi, 5−8.5.2008, Z. Malinka lgt. (1ex. MKCN); GREECE Thessalia N, Pindos mts, Kría Vrísi, 39°40'N 21°32'E, 800‒850 m: 9.v.2006, Z. Kraus leg. (1♂ MOCO); same data, 26.‒28.v.2006, (2♂♂ VKCB); GRAECIA, Thessalia bor., Kría Vrísi, 800‒850 m, 5.‒8.v.2008, 39°40’N 21°32’E, Zdeněk Kraus leg. (15♂♂7♀♀ NMPC); GREECE Thessalia. bor., Pindos mts. Kria Vrisi, 39°40‘44‘‘S;21°32‘28‘‘V, 11.‒13.v.2009 M. Obořil (122♂♂25♀♀ MOCO; 7♂♂3♀♀ DBCR; 49exx. MKCN; 1♂ ALCB); Katerini env., Agios Dimitros (8 km NE), 26.‒28‒v.1990, P. Zábranský leg. (1♂ VKCB). Peloponnese: GR—Peloponneso m.700, Kalavrita (Akhaia) // 1‒5‒2001, Leg. D. Gianasso (1ex. DGCC); GRECIA, Achaia, Metochi dint., 2.V.2011, leg. F. Izzillo (2 exx. FICN); GRECIA, Laconia, Sparti, strada Sotira—Soha, 750 m, 7.V.2012, leg. G. L. Agnoli (1 ex. GACB); GRECIA, Messinia, Haravgi, Polilimnio, 2.V.2013, leg. F. Izzillo (3 exx. FICN); GREECE Peloponnese, (Messinia) HARAVGHI, loc. POLILIMNIO, 36°59’N 21°51’E, 3.V.2013 A.Liberto leg. (1♂3♀♀ ALCR); GREECE (Peloponissos), (Messinia) Polilimnio, 2.V.2013 A.Liberto leg. (1♂1♀ DBCR). Thessaly: Thessalia Pindos Mts. Kalambaka Kastania 1350 m 26.5.2001 A. & F. Riedel leg. (1♂ MNCA); Griechenland, Mt. Ossa ca. 900 m, Mai 1982 leg. J. Wolf (1♂1♀ MNCA; 1♂ DBCR; 1♂ PBCK); Griechenland, Mont Ossa ca. 900m., bei Stomion, Mai 1982 leg. J. Wolf (1♂PBCK); Graecia, Mont Ossa, ca. 800m., leg. J. Wolf 8.5.82 (1♂PBCK; 1♀ DBCR); GREECE, Ossa Oros, 29.IV.2003, leg. Minetti R. (1♀ ALCB); GR. A V.86, M. OSSA, lg. Biachat (1♀PBCK); GR/Makedonia, Ossa Oros, 23.5.‒2.6.1988, leg.H.Mühle (1♂ HMCM); same data, 5.6.82 (1♂ HMCM); GR—Thessalia, Mt. Ossa, env. Stomio, 1.‒20.5.1987, leg. V+C. Brachat (1♂1♀ HMCM); Greece, Mont Ossa, 15‒06‒2007 (1♂ SHCT); same data, 20.V.2006 (1♂ SHCT); Griechenland, Mont Ossa ca. 900m., Mai 1982 leg. J. Wolf (1♂ DBCR).
Additional data from literature. Croatia: Hvar (Novak, 1970: 22); Meleda (Obenberger, 1917: 131). Greece: Makhedonia: Serrai, Kerkini (Mühle et al., 2000: 129); Thessalia: Trikala, Kastanea (Mühle et al., 2000: 129); Peloponnisos: Arkadia, Gortys (Mühle et al., 2000: 129). Montenegro: Sutomore, Rumija (Drovenik & Hladil, 1984: 12, 17). Romania: Caraș-Severin: Băile Herculane (Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 73); Herkules Bath (Ruicănescu, 2008: 209). Bulgaria: Haskovo: Ivailovgrad Dam, 150 m. (Sakalian, 2007: 14).
Morphology and variability. The size of A. midas is rather variable and in males it ranges from 5.6 x 2.5 mm to 8.1 x 3.7 mm, while for females it ranges from 5.9 x 2.6 mm to 8.3 x 3.8 mm, with an average length to width ratio of 2.2 times longer than wide.
The background colour of the pronotum is consistently cobalt blue in the great majority of specimens, differing from A. oberthuri where it usually tends to be more greenish-blue. The pronotal discal spots are always connected to the dark anterolateral area. The elytral background colour is usually vermilion red, on average slightly brighter than in A. oberthuri.
The most significant character on which Obenberger (1924; 1926; 1930) and Schaefer (1938) had already separated the Balkan populations from the Western Mediterranean ones, is the shape of the basal green elytral macula. According to their observations, and differing from A. oberthuri, in A. midas the green stripe that runs along the elytral base should not reach to the humeral angles, and the sutural part is supposed to be always distinctly sagittate. In our study we noticed that the colouration of the elytral base is instead somewhat variable, and occasionally, as in the case of the lectotype (Fig. 10), it also reaches to the humeri. In addition, it is also possible to find specimens with a reduced extension of the sutural green part. Schaefer (1938: 207‒208) had noticed also some differences in the vertex and in the pronotal anterior margin, but these latter characters are considered to be intraspecific variability that Schaefer could not evaluate, having probably studied just a single specimen from the Balkans, namely the specimen of Gory & Laporte.
The differences that we have observed in the aedeagus instead, undoubtedly separate the two species. In fact, in A. midas the parameres are narrowly tapered until the very sharp apex (Figs. 18, 24, 103). The median lobe is more slender and scarcely serrate if compared to A. oberthuri, but most importantly, the lower lamella is finely spiny on the apex (Fig. 114), compared to the smooth apex of A. oberthuri (Fig. 113).
Bionomy and distribution. Data on the presence of A. midas in the large territory currently known as the Balkans are rather scarce and fragmentary, and also the distribution given in some catalogues and papers, includes countries where the species is actually not present, at least on present knowledge.
The first generic report of A. midas from the Balkans is by Kiesenwetter (1857: 90), who included Dalmatia in its distribution. Croatia was also cited by Obenberger (1917: 131), whom generically reported A. croesus sensu Gory & Laporte (not Villers) from Istria, and from the island of Meleda. Some years later, Obenberger described A. midas muelleri, also from Istria, but without stating a precise locality. The species was recorded from Hvar, a Croatian island, by Novak (1970: 22), and several specimens were collected by Hladil and Navrátil in the area around Dubrovnik. More recently, the species has been collected also in more continental localities like Ljubovo (MKCN), Gorsky Kotar and the Velebit National Park (TKCZ).
Citations for Slavonia refer to the historical eastern region of Croatia, and must not be confused with Slovenia, where the species seems to have never been found. In addition to the type of A. spathuligera, a few more specimens that we studied (VKCB) confirm its presence also in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The presence in Montenegro is confirmed by data published by Drovenik & Hladil (1984: 12, 17) and by a number of specimens collected in Petrovac by Hladil and Navrátil. Studied material confirm its presence also in Macedonia.
The data published by Sakalian (Sakalian & Langourov, 2001: 152; Sakalian, 2003: 118; 2007: 14) confirm the presence in Bulgaria, while, as Ruicănescu writes (Ruicănescu & Serafim, 1996: 73; Ruicănescu, 2002: 128; 2008: 209; 2013: 81), the single record for Romania needs confirmation. The species is probably present also in southern Serbia and Albania, while with regard to Austria and Hungary, the presence of A. midas in these countries must be excluded. In fact, although reported for Austria in some works, to our knowledge, not a single specimen has ever been collected there, and Obenberger (1930: 502) had already given its presence there as dubious.
Muskovits & Hegyessy (2002: 183) excluded the presence of the species in Hungary. In fact, according to Kubáň (pers. comm.) the citation by Kaufmann (1914: 55) for the area of Pécs is wrong, and is a misinterpretation of data published in the work of Viertl (1894: 49), who had reported A. croesus (Villers) from there. Actually, the report by Viertl referred to Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) olympica Kiesenwetter, 1880, and the mistake is certainly due to the confused taxonomy of A. croesus sensu lato, as happened with Tenenbaum for his report of A. oberthuri from Spain.
Greece is the country where A. midas has been most collected recently, and known localities are scattered over most of the country (Mühle et al., 2000: 129). At present, it is not known if the species is present also in Greek Thrace and in European Turkey. Data on the distribution of A. midas in the rest of Turkey (Bílý, 2006: 372; Kubáň et al., 2016: 501 (as sphatuligera) regard A. (Anthaxia) cebecii sp. nov.
Concerning the biology of the species, we have observed the larval development only in Acer spp., and in our opinion, reports from Platanus spp. (Platanaceae) need confirmation (Mühle et al., 2000: 129; Muskovits & Hegyessy, 2002: 183; Sakalian, 2003: 118; Izzillo, 2010: 4; Cebeci & Tezcan, 2011: 208).
description: Published as part of Baiocchi, Daniele & Magnani, Gianluca, 2018, A revision of the Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas Kiesenwetter, 1857 species-group (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini), pp. 201-254 in Zootaxa 4370 (3) on pages 219-225, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1145577