Calomera sanguineomaculata (Blanchard, 1853)

Cicindela sanguineomaculata Blanchard, 1853: 5 . pl. 1, fig.3.

Cicindela cristovallensis: Montrouzier 1855: 6 (Synonymy by Wiesner 1992).

Cicindela decemguttata sanguineomaculata: Horn 1936: 12.

Abroscelis sanguineomaculata: Schilder 1953: 550.

Lophyridia sanguineomaculata: Rivalier 1963: 31.

Cicindela (Calomera) sanguineomaculata: Lorenz 1998a: 49; 1998b: 786; 2005a: 50; 2005b: 831.

Calomera sanguineomaculata Wiesner 2020: 232 .

Type locality. San Georges Island in the Salomon Archipelago.

Type specimen. The original description of this species by Blanchard (1853) did not mention sex or number of specimens, but was probably based on only holotype by monotypy (probably in MNHN), which was not examined by us. Yet, we have examined one historical specimen (IRSNB) from the type locality, listed below.

Other material examined. 1 ♀ in IRSNB: “Neu Georgien / Rubiana / C. Ribbe ” // “R. Mus. Hist. Nat. / Belg. I. G. 11 230” . 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ in CCJM: “ Makira / Salomon Is. / 15. VII.1984 ” . 1 ♀ in JWMC: “ Solomon Is., Guadalcanal, / 5–15 km S of Barana vill., / Lunga river env., / Honiara reg., 80–250m, / 20.xi.–15.xii.2013, St. Jakl leg.” . 4 ♂♂ in JWMC: “ Guadalcanal / Solomon Is / 16.3.1986 ” . 2 ♀♀ in CDCL with same label data . 1 ♀ in CDCL: “ Solomon Is: / New Georgia gp / Vella Lavella Island / 21.8.1963 / P. Greenslade ” .

Differential diagnosis. Calomera sanguineomaculata, which was sometimes treated as a subspecies of C. decemguttata, e.g. by Horn (1926, 1938), also differs immediately from the Calomera decemguttata species-complex in having obscurely coloured elytra with ruddy-coloured elytral subhumeral and lateromedian-discal band, while apical lunule is only obscurely indicated.

Distribution. Endemic to the Salomon Islands. Cassola (1987b) recorded 337 specimens examined throughout the archipelago, with his description of a subspecies savoensis from the Savo Island differing by even more obscure elytral surface with maculae reduced to only indistinct blackish tracks. Nevertheless, the aquarelle illustration in the paper with the original description of C. sanguineomaculata by Blanchard (1853, pl. 1, fig. 3) shows obscure elytra with the maculation barely recognizable, yet he described the maculae in the Latin diagnosis as “ obscure sanguineis ”.