Calosoma (Calosoma) himalayanum Gestro, 1875

Length 28-32 mm. C. himalayanum is related to C. sycophanta, and its appearance is very similar so that Breuning (1927: 171) had considered it as a simple local population (Lokalrasse) of C. sycophanta. However, even apart from the different color, the two taxa, carefully observed, can be distinguished from each other with relative ease. In fact, although the pronotum of C. himalayanum is narrowed behind, it is less transverse than the one of C. sycophanta, and with a less elevated lateral margin.
As a matter of fact, C. himalayanum, resembles instead superficially to C. beesoni but is distinguishable by its relatively larger dimension and because of the head and pronotum that are not coarsely but finely and uniformely punctate, the elytra, convex, more parallel with less elevated sculpture, visibly serrate behind shoulders; the intervals not imbricate but only slightly incised, with the primary ones almost smooth with evident foveae.
In some collections, there are specimens of C. maximoviczi from southern Tibet (Linzhi and Changdu pref.) erroneously attributed to C. himalayanum. Moreover C. himalayanum has been cited from Tibet (Yu, 1982) (see also Deuve 1997: 53), however the specimen of Tibet published by Yu (https://carabidae.org/gallery?taxon=29) is still a specimen of C. maximoviczi. Despite a superficial similarity, due to the general shape of the body and the dark bluish colour, the two species are easily distinguishable. In fact, the pronotum of C. maximoviczi is less transverse, regularly rounded, not sinuate behind, quite different from that which characterizes the species of C. sycophanta group.

Examined specimens and literature’s data
India. Himachal Pradesh: Poo State (NMB, NMP, SB), Chamba (Andrewes, 1929: 56); Jammu and Kashmir: Ladakh (type, MGe), Kashmir 1500 m (EM), Srinagar 5200ft (SB), Khalatse 4500ft. (Andrewes, 1929: 56)
Pakistan. Gilgit-Baltistan: Satil, (Mandl 1961: 36)

Notes: Diurnal, winged, this species has been noted as predaceous on Lymantria obfuscata, the defoliator of Salix alba (Andrewes, 1929: 56)

Calosoma (Calosoma) himalayanum ♂ Gestro, 1885 Kashmir: Himalaya, 1500m (coll. E. Migliaccio)

Calosoma (Calosoma) himalayanum ♀ Gestro, 1885 India: (Himachal Pradesh) State Poo, Bashahr

Calosoma (Calosoma) himalayanum ♀ Gestro, 1885 India: (Kashmir) Ladak, Himalaya, coll. Laporte de Castelnau (holotype, Museo civico di Storia naturale di Genova) (photo Poggi)