Lucanus ibericus subvelutinus Motschulsky, 1870

(Figs. 26–27)

Lucanus subvelutinus Motschulsky, 1870: 46 .

Examined material. 2 males, Golestan: 150 m, 10 km S Bandar e Gaz (36.45ºN, 53.57ºE), 27.V–7.VI.2001, G. Sama (CLB); 1 male, Kopet Dag, Siaret [= Golestan: Ziarat], 1160 m, 15.VII.1925, Gerlach (CDSC); 2 males, 1 female, Semnan: Shah Mts., 16.VII.2000, T. Hácz (CLN); 1 male, 1 female, Mazandaran: pass near Gach-i-sar, forest area, 1700–1800 m, 18–31.VI.1998, Heinz (KDSC); 1 male, Mazandaran: pass about 10 km N of Gachsar (36.10ºN, 51.19ºE), 19–21.VII.1999, J. Kalab (CMZ); 4 males, 2 females, Mazandaran: 12 km S of Ramsar, 1–4.VII.2000, R. Reitmaier (CMZ); 1 male, Mazandaran: Yaneh Sar (1800 m), 21.VI.2009, Scoupy (CMZ); 2 males, Mazandaran: 6 km SW Hasanlaf (1400 m), 15.VII.2003, I. Jenis (CMZ); 2 females, Mazandaran: Nahar Khoran (36.45ºN, 54.28ºE), 6 km S Gorgan, 26.VII.1999, J. Kalab (CMZ); 1 male, Khorasan: forest about 10 km S Kord Kuy (W Gorgan), 400 m, 21.VI.1998, Heinz (CDSC); 1 male, Guilan: Masuleh, 1200–1400 m, 8–12.VII.2000, R. Reitmaier (CDSC); 2 males, 1 female, same data (CMZ); 3 females, Guilan: Masuleh (37.10ºN, 48.58ºE), 55 km W-SW Rasht, 28–30, VII.1999, J. Kalab (CMZ); 1 male, Guilan: pass between Astárá and Ardabil, about 900 m, 4.VI–8.VII.1998, Heinz (CDSC); 3 males, Guilan: Durfak (36.45ºN, 49.57ºE), 50 km E-SE Rudbar, 4–5.VIII.1999, J. Kalab (CMZ).

Distribution. Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan (Baraud 1993; Král 2004; Bunalski et al. 2014).

Distribution in Iran. East Azarbaijan (Sakenin et al. 2008), Golestan (Mizunuma & Nagai 1994); Guilan, Mazandaran (Král 2004), Semnan (new record).

Remarks. As stated above, the taxonomic position of L. orientalis and L. ibericus is still rather confused. Some authors consider the two species to be distinct, and the taxon L. subvelutinus is sometimes seen to be a synonym of L. orientalis (e.g., Bartolozzi & Sprecher-Uebersax 2006). On the other hand, some authors see it as a valid subspecies of L. ibericus (e.g., K.-D. Schenk, personal communication, 2013; S. Boucher, personal communication, 2014). In this paper we follow this opinion, but we believe that only a molecular analysis could clarify the true status of the taxa L. orientalis, L. ibericus, and L. subvelutinus .