Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) naviauxi Bílý, 1995

(Figs. 7, 10, 21, 22, 23, 24, 39, 40, 49, 54, 59, 68, 69, 74, 79, 84, 95)

Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) naviauxi Bílý, 1995: 48 . Type locality: “ Iran, Rayen, Kerman“; Bílý, 1997: 29, 95, 161; 2006: 377; Bellamy, 2008: 1433.

Type specimens studied. Holotype (by original designation) ♂ (MNHN) (Fig. 7), original labelling: fig. 10; allotype ♀: IRAN 13.6.1973, Rayen 2450 m., 13.6.1973 (SBCP); paratypes: 1♀: IRAN 13.6.1973, Rayen 2450 m., 13.6.1973 (NMPC); 1♀: IRAN, Rayen 2450 m., M. Rapilly 13.6.73 // sur Lentisque (DBCR); 1♀: IRAN, Rayen 2200 m., Kerman, 6.VI.73 RN (SBCP); 1♂: IRAN 12.6.73, Rayen 2450, 13.6.1973 (SBCP).

Additional material studied: IRAN, KERMAN prov., Rayen, 13.VI.73 RN (1♂ 1♀ DBCR).

Taxonomic notes. Bílý (1995) described this interesting species from a series of specimens collected in 1973 by R. Naviaux and M. Rapilly in the area of Rayen, a city in the eastern province of Kerman, and despite several attempts, it has never been collected again. The type series and a few other specimens are currently deposited in MNHN, NMPC, DBCR and RNCF, but further specimens could be present in the Rapilly collection, which I have not been able to trace. Like other members of this group, Anthaxia (H.) naviauxi shows some affinities with species of the A. (H.) angustipennis species-group, and in its original description it was compared to A. (H.) fedtschenkoi Semenov, 1895 and A. (H.) robusticornis Bílý, 1990, as well as to A. (H.) osmastoni Stebbing, 1911, which is in fact a member of the A. (H.) ludovicae Abeille de Perrin, 1900 species-group.

Morphology and variability. Based on the study of the scarce known material, this species seems to have a rather stable and consistent habitus. Although its overall aspect is somewhat similar to that of Anthaxia (H.) wethloi, some morphological characters, such as the more slender proportions of body and legs, the less transverse pronotum, and a stronger development of the tarsomeres and claws, indicate that A. (H.) naviauxi is a rather derived species in this species-group. Males show a reddish pronotum with golden green reflexes (Figs. 7, 21) and a green ventral colouration (Fig. 22), while female are more reddish-copper (Fig. 23), especially in ventral colouration (Fig. 24).

Note: concerning the genitalia of this species, I have illustrated the aedeagus (Figs. 74, 79) of one of the other studied male specimens (Fig. 21, DBCR), since the aedeagus of the holotype, which was depicted in the original description (Bílý 1995: 48, fig. 26), unfortunately was found to be irretrievably damaged and missing of all diagnostic parts. Concerning the female genitalia, due to the extraction from an old dry specimen (Fig. 23, DBCR), the ovipositor of A. (H.) naviauxi illustrated in this study (Fig. 84) shows an unnatural dark and otherwise pigmented aspect compared to those of the other species of the group.

Bionomy and distribution. Anthaxia (H.) naviauxi is another species endemic to Iran, actually one of the most enigmatic species of its species-group. An arid subdesert environment characterizes the area where all the known specimens were collected. Nothing is known about the bionomy of this species, except for a handwritten label pinned below one female paratype, which states “sur Lentisque”. This probably means that the specimen was beaten from a shrub of Pistacia lentiscus L. ( Anacardiaceae), a plant not commonly found in Iran. This note does not necessarily mean that this would be its hostplant, although A. (H.) naviauxi may represent another one of the many Iranian species of Buprestidae associated with Pistacia spp. Possibly strong competition from more common and numerous species may have reduced this species to a small number of scattered populations.