Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola, Flores & Pizarro-Araya, 2022

Flores, Gustavo E. & Pizarro-Araya, Jaime, 2022, Revision of the subgenus Mesopraocis Flores & Pizarro-Araya of the Neotropical genus Praocis Eschscholtz (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Pimeliinae), ZooKeys 1100, pp. 29-55 : 29

Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola sp. nov.

Figs 4D , 6

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, referring to the fact that this species inhabits sandy places.

Diagnosis.

Pronotum with central area of posterior margin not extending beyond lateral extents of posterior angles; body widest at prothorax; width of anterior margin of clypeus equal to half the interocular width. Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola sp. nov. superficially resembles Praocis (Mesopraocis) nitens by having pronotum with lateral margins declivous, disc convex reaching lateral margins; eyes with supraocular groove; antennomere 9 longer than wide or equal length than wide, and longer than 10. Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola sp. nov. differs from P. (M.) nitens by having frons, epicanthus, elytron with shallow punctures; frons and epicanthus with puncture depth smaller than diameter; elytron with puncture depth the same size than diameter; antennomere 9 of equal length than 11 and of equal width to 10; antennomere 11 longer than wide. Praocis (Mesopraocis) nitens has frons, epicanthus, elytron with impressed punctures; frons and epicanthus with puncture depth the same size than diameter; elytron with puncture depth larger than diameter; antennomere 9 longer than 11, narrower than 10; antennomere 11 wider than long.

Description.

Length 6.62-10.00 mm. Body, antennae, legs black to dark brown, body widest at prothorax. Head. Clypeus with punctures bearing short setae on all surface, width of anterior margin equal to half the interocular width; frons with punctures bearing short setae on all surface, border of punctures not elevated; frontoclypeal suture with short setae; eyes with supraocular groove; antennae reaching anterior third of lateral margin of pronotum; antennomeres 9 and 11 longer than wide, antennomere 9 longer than 10 and shorter than 11, antennomere 9 of equal width to 10 and wider than 11, antennomere 10 wider than 11.

Thorax. Pronotum with anterior angles rounded, not produced, remote from eyes and epicanthus, lateral margins explanate, disc convex not reaching lateral margins (Fig. 4D ); posterior margin bisinuate, central area not extending beyond lateral extents of posterior margin (Fig. 4D ), posterior angles right or acute with apex rounded, produced. Hypomeron with a fringe of long golden setae below lateral margin of pronotum. Metaventrite with punctures on lateral thirds separated by one to two puncture diameters.

Elytron. Pseudopleuron with sparse punctures from which emerge long, erect setae, becoming a dense fringe on anterior half of upper surface, punctures separated by three to six puncture diameters on lower surface, separated by one to two puncture diameters on anterior half of upper surface; epipleuron with a fringe of long golden setae on anterior half of edge, almost smooth, with sparse punctures and setae on anterior quarter and with a row of punctures smaller diameter and depth than on pseudopleuron located on posterior three fourths.

Legs. Ventral surface of protrochanters with hair brush. Apical process of distal margin of protibiae equal to length of protarsomeres 1-3 combined; protibial length 2.5 times the width of distal margin. First metatarsomere 1.4-1.6 times longer than metatarsomeres 2-3 combined.

Abdomen. Ventrites 1-3 with sparse punctures separated by two to four puncture diameters; ventrite 4 with sparse punctures separated by one to two puncture diameters; ventrite 5 with punctures on central area separated by two to four puncture diameters, on lateral thirds separated by one to two puncture diameters.

Male genitalia. Basal lamina of tegmen equal width throughout, with base concave. Lateral styles of tegmen with proximal margin concave, with setae on distal 1/6 of ventral surface. Median lobe equal width throughout, one third the width of tegmen, with apical aperture small.

Type specimens.

Holotype male: [Chile: III Región, Chañaral / sur Flamenco dunas/ 58m 26°35'55.9"S, 70°35'45"W, 30.x.2012/ Coll: Mario Elgueta] [ Praocis (Mesopraocis) / Praocis arenicola sp. nov./ HOLOTYPUS male/ Det. G. Flores and/ J. Pizarro-Araya 2021] (MNNC); allotype female (MNNC) and one paratype male with the same data as holotype (IADIZA). Paratypes. CHILE, Atacama Region: Chañaral Province: Parque Nacional Pan de Azúcar, 4.v.2003, J. Pizarro-Araya, 1 (LEULS), Los Sapos km 729, 28°01'42.2"S, 70°33'01."W, 532 m 8.xi.2003, C. Mattoni, L. Prendini, J. Ochoa, 1 (IADIZA), Rodillo, Caldera, ix.1991, pitfall traps, 2 (LEULS), 1 (MNNC), Flamenco, Caldera, 3.v.2003, J. Pizarro-Araya, 2 (LEULS). Copiapo Province: Punta Frodden, 20 km N. Caldera, Atacama, 26.iv.1956, L.E. Peña, 2 (FMNH), Punta Frodden, Atacama, 2.iv.1974, L.E. Peña, 3 (FMNH), Caldera, Atacama, 17.vi.1955, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Copiapó, Fundo Santa Elena, 19-23.vii.1982, E. Arredondo, 3 (UCCC), Bahía Inglesa sand dunes 3 m, 27°06'27.2"S, 70°51'3."W, 6.xii.2012, M. Elgueta, 2 (IADIZA), 3 (MNNC), Copiapó 15 km S, 15.vii.1952, L.E. Peña, 2 (FMNH), Copiapó, 5.x.1968, L.E. Peña, 3 (FMNH), Copiapó 80 km S, 5.x.1966, L.E. Peña, 10 (FMNH), 1 (NHMB), 1 (HNHM), 40/60 km S Copiapó, 25.vi.1968, L.E. Peña, 9 (FMNH), 30 km S. Copiapó, 31.i.1967, G. Monsalve, 7 (FMNH), S. Copiapó, 20.vi.1968, P. Vidal, 1 (FMNH), 100 km S. Copiapó Atacama, 23.x.1983, L.E. Peña, 5 (FMNH), Copiapó S. km 700, Atacama, 1.i.1980, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Boca Río Copiapó, 13.vi.1968, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Torres del Inca, Copiapó, 26.60759°S, 70.69839°W, x.2017, A. Zúñiga 1 (MNNC), 1 (IADIZA), N. Estación Castilla, 25.xi.1972, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Quebrada El Morel, x-xi.2009, J. Pizarro-Araya & F.M. Alfaro, 2 (LEULS), 2 (MNNC), 1 (UCCC), Huasco Province: Vallenar a Copiapó, 18.ix.1963, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Algarrobal, Atacama,15.ix.2002, J. Pizarro-Araya 1 (LEULS), Huasco, Atacama, 12.xii.1967, L.E. Peña, 4 (FMNH), Quebrada Maitencillo, Vallenar, 11.x.1980, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Puerto Viejo, Atacama, 20.ix.1982, L.E. Peña 1 (FMNH), Puerto Viejo, Atacama, 10.x.1980, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Algarrobal, 3.xii.2002, J. Pizarro-Araya, 1 (IADIZA), 15.ix.2002, J. Pizarro-Araya, 1 (LEULS), Carrizal Bajo, 9-29.ix.1989, Traps Barber, 1 (IADIZA), Carrizal Bajo, 29.xi-29.x.1989, Traps Barber, 1 (IADIZA), Carrizal Bajo, 29.x.1989, H. Vásquez, 1 (IADIZA), Carrizal Bajo, 29.x.1989, H. Vásquez, 1 (IADIZA), Carrizal Bajo, ix.1991 bajo/ arbusto, H. Vasquez, 4 (IADIZA), 1 (LEULS), Carrizal Bajo, Huasco, ix.1991, H. Vásquez, 3 (IADIZA), Llanos de Challe/ Vallenar/ 15.x.1997 pitfall traps, 3 (IADIZA), Parque Nacional Llanos de Challe, dunas interiores, 18.x.2014, J. Pizarro-Araya, 3 (LEULS), 3 (MNNC), 3 (UCCC), Parque Nacional Llanos de Challe, 19 J 0294745, 6880089, 221 msl, 31.viii-03.ix.2017, J. Pizarro-Araya & F.M. Alfaro (SIMEF-Project), 2 (LEULS), Aguada de Tongoy, Huasco, 19.xi.2005, F.M. Alfaro, 1 (LEULS), Tres Playitas, Huasco, xi.2015, F.M. Alfaro, 1 (LEULS), El Pimiento, Vallenar, 2.vi.1968, L.E. Peña, 1 (FMNH), Guacolda, Huasco, xi.2015, J. Pizarro-Araya & F.M. Alfaro, 2 (LEULS), 3 (MNNC), 2 (UCCC).

Other material examined.

Chile. Atacama Region: Copiapo Province: Torres del Inca , 26.60759°S, 70.69839°W, x.2017, Coll: A. Zúñiga, 2 (IADIZA) .

Figures

Figure 4. Habitus in dorsal view A Praocis (Mesopraocis) pilula B Praocis (Mesopraocis) calderana C Praocis (Mesopraocis) nitens D Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 6. Geographical distribution of Praocis (Mesopraocis) pilula and Praocis (Mesopraocis) arenicola sp. nov.