''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family

Cantharidae The soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are relatively soft-bodied, straight-sided beetles. They are cosmopolitan in distribution. One of the first described species has a color pattern reminiscent of the Red coat (British army), red coats of early Bri ...

with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometimes called "cantharis" in the

vernacular A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...

, but it is actually unrelated to ''Cantharis'' and is not a member of the

at all. It was classified there erroneously until

Johan Christian Fabricius Johan Christian Fabricius (7 January 1745 – 3 March 1808) was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and is cons ...

corrected its name in his ''Systema entomologiae'' in 1775. He reclassified the Spanish fly in the new genus '' Lytta'' as ''Lytta vesicatoria''. It belongs to the family Meloidae.Selander, R. B. (1991)
On the nomenclature and classification of Meloidae (Coleoptera)
''

Insecta Mundi ''Insecta Mundi: A Journal of World Insect Systematics'' is an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal of entomology, primarily devoted to insects, specifically "any non-marine arthropod". It is published by the Center for Systematic Entomol ...

'' 5(2): 65-94.

European species

Subgenus ''Cantharis''

Cantharis livida var rufipes 01 05252009

* ''

Cantharis allosensis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Pic, 1924 * ''

Cantharis annularis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Menetriez, 1836 * '' Cantharis antennalis'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis ariasi ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Mulsant, 1862) * ''

Cantharis assimilis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Paykull, 1798 * ''

Cantharis atrata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis basithorax ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Pic, 1902 * ''

Cantharis beckeri ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Pic, 1902) * ''

Cantharis brevicornis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Kiesenwetter, 1852) * ''

Cantharis brullei ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis cedricola ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Wittmer, 1971 * ''

Cantharis cornix ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Abeille de Perrin, 1869) * ''

Cantharis coronata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Gyllenhal, 1808 * ''

Cantharis corvina ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Moscardini, 1962 * ''

Cantharis cretica ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Wittmer, 1971 * ''

Cantharis cryptica ''Cantharis cryptica'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H. ...

'' Ashe, 1947 * ''

Cantharis cypria ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis darwiniana ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Sharp, 1867 * '' Cantharis decipiens'' Baudi, 1871 * ''

Cantharis decolorans ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Brullé, 1832 * '' Cantharis delagrangei'' Delkeskamp, 1939 * ''

Cantharis dissipata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Gemminger, 1870 * '' Cantharis edentula'' Baudi, 1871 * ''

Cantharis ephippigera ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' (Brullé, 1832) * '' Cantharis europea'' Pic 1921 * ''

Cantharis falzonii ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Fiori 1914 * '' Cantharis figurata'' Mannerheim, 1843 * ''

Cantharis flavilabris ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Fallén, 1807 * ''

Cantharis franciana ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Kiesenwetter, 1866 * ''

Cantharis fusca ''Cantharis fusca'' is a species of soldier beetle. ''C. fusca'' reaches a length of . Except for parts of the head and thorax, which are red or orange, this species is completely black. The body is flat and long, with a weak exoskeleton An ...

'' Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

- type species * ''

Cantharis fuscipennis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' (Mulsant, 1862) * ''

Cantharis hellenica ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Heyden, 1883 * '' Cantharis ictaria'' Fiori, 1914 * ''

Cantharis inculta ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Gene, 1839 * ''

Cantharis instabilis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Kiesenwetter, 1866 * ''

Cantharis italica ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Fiori, 1914 * '' Cantharis kervillei'' Pic, 1932 * '' Cantharis liburnica'' Depoli, 1912 * '' Cantharis livida'' Linnaeus,

* ''

Cantharis merula ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Moscardini, 1862 * ''

Cantharis monacha ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Moscardini, 1862 * ''

Cantharis montana ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Stierlin, 1889 * ''

Cantharis morio ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Fabricius, 1792 * ''

Cantharis nevadensis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Pic, 1908 * ''

Cantharis nigra ''Cantharis nigra'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H. Jo ...

'' (De Geer, 1774) * ''

Cantharis nigricans ''Cantharis nigricans'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H ...

'' Müller, 1766 * ''

Cantharis nigricornis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' (Laporte de Castelnau, 1840) * '' Cantharis obscura'' Linnaeus,

* '' Cantharis ochreata'' (Reiche, 1878) * '' Cantharis paganettii'' (Flach, 1907) * ''

Cantharis palliata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Gyllenhal, 1808 * ''

Cantharis pallida ''Cantharis pallida'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H. ...

'' Goeze, 1777 * ''

Cantharis paludosa ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Fallén, 1807 * '' Cantharis paradoxa'' Hicker, 1960 * ''

Cantharis paulinoi ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Kiesenwetter, 1870 * ''

Cantharis pellucida ''Cantharis pellucida'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H ...

'' Fabricius, 1792 * '' Cantharis peninsularis'' Fiori, 1914 * ''

Cantharis praecox ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Gene, 1836 * ''

Cantharis prusiensis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis pulicaria ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Fabricius, 1781 * ''

Cantharis pyrenaea ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Pic, 1906 * ''

Cantharis quadripunctata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' (Müller, 1776) * ''

Cantharis reichei ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Mulsant, 1862 * '' Cantharis rufa'' Linnaeus,

* ''

Cantharis rustica ''Cantharis rustica'' is a species of soldier beetle found in Europe east to central Russia.Traugott, M. (2006). Habitat use and activity patterns of larval and adult ''Cantharis'' beetles in arable land. European journal of soil biology, 42(2), ...

'' Fallén, 1807 * '' Cantharis schrammi'' Pic, 1907 * ''

Cantharis seidlitzi ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Kiesenwetter, 1865 * ''

Cantharis sicula ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Pic, 1906 * '' Cantharis smyrnensis'' (Marseul, 1864) * ''

Cantharis terminata ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Faldermann, 1835 * ''

Cantharis torretasoi ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' Wittmer, 1935 * ''

Cantharis tristis ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Fabricius, 1797 * ''

Cantharis versicolor ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also sometime ...

'' (Baudi, 1871) * ''

Cantharis xanthoporpa ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Kiesenwetter, 1860

Subgenus ''Cyrtomoptila''

* '' Cantharis gemina'' Dahlgren, 1974 * ''

Cantharis lateralis ''Cantharis lateralis'' is a species of soldier beetles native to Europe.Norman H. Joy, , 1932 ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles ''A Practical Handbook of British Beetles'' is a two-volume work on the British beetle fauna, by Norman H ...

'' Linnaeus,

* ''

Cantharis pagana ''Cantharis'' is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra. The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name ''Cantharis vesicatoria''. It is also someti ...

'' Rosenhauer, 1847

References and notes

External links

Biolib

Fauna europaea
Cantharidae {{Cantharidae-stub

European species

Subgenus ''Cantharis''

Subgenus ''Cyrtomoptila''

See also

References and notes

Further reading

External links