Calosoma (Castrida) argentinense Csiki, 1927

Length 17-27 mm. C. argentinense has rounded metatrochanter in both sexes and head and pronotum are wrinkled and deeply punctuated. The intervals of its elytra are conspicuously scaly. The upper body is reddish bronze metallic.
It is found in the northern and in the central Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and in the adjacent regions of Brazil and of Bolivia.
Note that, contrary to the opinion of Jeannel (1940) about the validity of the priority and the nonexistence of synonyms (p. 97 footnote 1), the name argentinense Csiki 1927 has correctly replaced antiquum Dejean 1831, because of the secondary homonymy (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, art. 57.3) with antiquus Fourcroy 1785, that was described as Buprestis and later placed in Calosoma as a junior synonim of inquisitor (Linné, 1758).

Examined specimens and literature’s data
Argentina. Buenos Aires: Mar del Plata, La Plata (www.gbif.org/), Buenos Aires, San Miguel del Monte, Estacion Albariño, Paia, La laguna, La Tablilla (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), Belén de Escobar, Bonnement (www.ecoregistros.org/), Lobería(www.inaturalist.org); Catamarca: Anquilcina (www.gbif.org/); Chaco (Gidaspow, 1963: 305); Córdoba: Agua de Oro, villa de Cordoba, Rio Cuarto (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), San Lorenzo, Villa Cura, Mar Chiquita (www.gbif.org/), Capilla del Monte, Villa Dolores, Nono (www.ecoregistros.org/), Calamuchita, Oncativo (www.inaturalist.org); Entre Rios: Pronunciamiento (SB), Chajari (www.ecoregistros.org/); Formosa: Laguna Yema (www.gbif.org/); Jujuy: San Salvador de Jujuy (www.gbif.org/), Patiño (www.inaturalist.org); La Pampa: Santa Rosa (Gidaspow, 1963: 305), Toay, La Reforma, Utracán (www.inaturalist.org); La Rioja: Ciudad de La Rioja (www.inaturalist.org), Agua Colorada (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), Chepes (SB), 10 km NE Pituil (www.gbif.org/); Mendoza: ciudad de Mendoza, Dorrego, La Paz (www.gbif.org/), Desaguadero (SB); Misiones: Posadas (www.gbif.org/); Nequén (Erwin, 2007: 88); Rio Negro: Villa Regina (SB), General Roca (www.inaturalist.org), Nahuel Huapi lake (Breuning, 1928b: 96); Salta: La Merced, Cerrillos, Las Lajitas (www.inaturalist.org), Metan (Gidaspow, 1963: 305), Rosario de Lerma, Sapo Quemado (www.ecoregistros.org/), Hipólito Irigoyen, Embarcación, Rosario de la Frontera (www.gbif.org/); San Juan (SB); San Luis: Villa Mercedes, W de Agro Candelaria, Quines (www.gbif.org/); Santa Fe: Villa Guillermina (www.gbif.org/), Las Garzas, Rosario (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), San Javier (SB), Santo Tome, Villa Gdor Galvez (www.ecoregistros.org/), Clucellas (www.inaturalist.org); Santiago del Estero: Santiago, rio Salado (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), La Banda (SB), Herrera (www.gbif.org/); San Juan: Jachal (www.gbif.org/); Tucuman: City of Tucuman, Campo (Gidaspow, 1963: 306), Aguadita (SB), San Miguel de Tucumán, Juan B. Alberdi (www.gbif.org/).
Bolivia. Chiquitos: Roboré (VV, SB); La Paz (Breuning, 1928 b: 96), Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Buena Vista, Villa Yapacani (www.inaturalist.org), Mataral (SB), San Antonio de Parapeti (TL)
Brazil. Santa Catarina: Concórdia (www.inaturalist.org); Paraná: Pato Branco (www.inaturalist.org); Rio de Janeiro: montagne des Orgues (Jeannel, 1940: 96)
Paraguay. Presidente Hayes: Laguna Capitan (SB); Boquerón: Nueva Asuncion (www.pybio.org); Loma Plata (SB), Filadelfia (SB, VV); Itapua: San Rafael (www.gbif.org/); Gran Chaco: Mariscal Esfigarribia (SB, VV); dep. Central: Fernando de la Mora (www.inaturalist.org)
Uruguay. 90 km SW of Artigas, Pampa de Lavalleja (www.entomologiitaliani.net ); Rocha: Cabo Polonio (www.inaturalist.org)

Notes: Winged, nocturnal, attracted to light at night. Lives mostly in dry regions: xerophite forests, desert scrub or barren soil, but also pastures and plantations. Adults are predaceous on insects larvae and particularly have been noted feeding on caterpillar of Colias lesbia. On the basis of the material examined, adults are active during the raining season, from October to April. At the end of May they decrease their activity and begin to burrow tunnels into the soil and construct hibernation chambers from where they emerge during the second half of September (Montero & Lietti, 1998)

Calosoma (Castrida) argentinense ♂ Csiki, 1927 Tucuman (holotype of Calosoma antiquum Dejean, 1831) (coll. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris)

Calosoma (Castrida) argentinense ♂ Csiki, 1927 Paraguay, Dep. Presidente Hayes, Laguna Capitan, Jan. 1997

Calosoma (Castrida) argentinense ♀ Csiki, 1927 Paraguay, Gran Chaco, 30km. NW Mariscal Esfigarribia 184m., 28.1.2008, Kadeklova lg.