Taxonomic notes on some Cantharidae of Sicily and North Africa

This article examines a variety of species of Cantharidae that are present, or mentioned in scientific literature, in Sicily and North Africa that are known to be problematic, both in terms of determination and taxonomy. This paper attempts to resolve these issues, including declaring valid three species names that have been more or less neglected. Therefore, the taxonomic variations proposed here are: Ancistronycha neapolitana (Pic, 1918) comb. nov. and stat. nov., Cantharis sicula Pic, 1906 = Ancistronycha neapolitana (Pic, 1918) syn. nov., Cantharis lucens Moscardini, 1967 = Ancistronycha neapolitana (Pic, 1918) syn. nov., Cantharis lucens f. fumosothorax Moscardini, 1967 [name not available under Code rules, because it is a variety described after 1961] = Ancistronycha neapolitana (Pic, 1918) syn. nov., Metacantharis puncticollis (Levrat, 1857) comb. nov., Telephorus picciolii Ragusa, 1870 = Metacantharis puncticollis (Levrat, 1857) syn. rest., Metacantharis haemorrhoidalis var. picticollis Ragusa, 1893 = Metacantharis puncticollis (Levrat, 1857) syn. nov., Cantharis (Metacantharis) haemorrhoidalis a. fraudulenta Fiori, 1914 = Metacantharis puncticollis (Levrat, 1857) syn. nov., Cantharis paulonotata Pic, 1903 stat. nov., Cantharis puncticollis v. notatipes Pic, 1903 = Cantharis paulonotata Pic, 1903 syn. nov., Cantharis puncticollis var. obscuripennis Pic, 1907 = Cantharis paulonotata Pic, 1903 syn. nov. Furthermore, the correct declination is Ancistronycha neapolitana (decl. nov.), while Cantharis puncticollis var. notaticeps Kazantsev, 2007, Cantharis puncticollis var. notaticeps Kazantsev & Brancucci, 2007 and Cantharis (Metacantharis) haemorrhoidalis a. fraudolenta Porta, 1929 are incorrect spellings. Finally, the Neotypus of Metacantharis puncticollis (Levrat, 1857) is established, a species that is mentioned here for the first time in scientific literature from Marche and Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Also, Ancistronycha neapolitana is recorded from Emilia-Romagna (Italy) for the first time.