Meloe (Eurymeloe) affinis Lucas, 1846

  Information:  Meloe affinis  was described by Lucas in 1846 from Algeria.
This species is distributed from Morocco to Libya. The typical subspecies is reported by Peyerimhoff (1949) and Kocher (1956) from northern Morocco. In Algeria, affinis appears to be restricted to the Kabylie region, the high plateaus, and the Atlas Mountains, while in Tunisia it also occurs further south.

It differs from all other Eurymeloe species with black body integument and dark pilosity by having a glossy body surface, a head without grooves and strongly expanded in the temple area, very fine punctation, a very broad pronotum, and elytra with at most weak undulating sculpturing.

Body length:  14 - 34  mm 
Peak activity:  March - Apríl 

  Remarks: 

  Distribution: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Zoogeographic region: Palearctic

  Taxonomic classification:

  Subspecies:  2

Meloe affinis ssp. affinis Lucas, 1846  ⇒

  Information:  

Body length: 14 - 16 mm 
Peak activity:  March - Apríl 

  Distribution: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

  Material examined (& observation):

Meloe affinis ssp. schatzmayri Bologna, 1988

  Information: Subspecies schatzmayri  was described by Bologna in 1988 from Libya.
Holotype ♀ Tripolitania, Gharian, 24.3.1926, A. Schatzmayr leg. 

Bologna (1991) reported the possible presence of this subspecies also in Sirtica and Cyrenaica. Remarks. is subspecies is greatly distinct from the nominate form and possibly it could be evaluated as a distinct species, after the examination of more specimens.

Body length: 20 - 34 mm
Peak activity: March - Apríl 

  Distribution: Libya