What is the real name of the Italian ascalaphid?

An endemic species of Ascalaphidae living exclusively in the Italian peninsula has been named for over a century Libelloides italicus Fabricius (1781). This is the case of a long-term, established, nomenclatorial situation which has apparently caused no problems. Unfortunately, Fabricius' type does not correspond to the Italian ascalaphid. Thus an old dispute has been re-opened and so the chronology concerning it are discussed. In conclusion, Ascalaphus italicus Fabricius, 1781 is a junior synonym of Libelloides coccajus (syn. n.) and a senior synonym of Ascalaphus meridionalis De Charpentier, 1825. There are two possible names for the Italian ascalaphid: Libelloides latinus (comb. n.), that is its valid name, and Ascalaphus petagnae Costa, 1855 which is its junior synonym.