Praocis (Filotarsus) Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840

Flores, Gustavo E. & Pizarro-Araya, Jaime, 2014, Towards a revision of the South American genus Praocis Eschscholtz (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), with estimation of the diversity of each subgenus, ZooKeys 415, pp. 53-80 : 62-64

(5) Subgenus Praocis (Filotarsus) Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840 Figs 10, 23-24

Type species.

Filotarsus tenuicornis Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840, monotypy and original designation by Solier (1840: 241).

Diagnosis.

Clypeus with anterior margin extending beyond to lateral expansion of frons or at same level as lateral expansion of frons, width of anterior margin not exceeding half the interocular width or width of anterior margin same as interocular width, clypeal suture as a vertical groove, not covered by frons, clypeus and frons at same level or clypeal suture as a horizontal groove not covered by frons, clypeus lower than frons; antennomere 9 longer than antennomere 10, antennomere 11 longer than antennomere 10; apical tomentose sensory patches on antennomere 10 in a dorsally continuous semicircle, on antennomere 11 on distal half; prosternum with a narrow edge on anterior margin; lateral margin of elytron not defined; ventral surface of profemora without a row of setae on anterior edge, protibiae explanate.

Distribution.

Species of Praocis (Filotarsus) inhabit central and northern Chile, western and northern Argentina, estern Bolivia and southern Peru. They occur from 12°South (Cuzco, Peru) to 39°South ( Neuquén, Argentina) in the biogeographic provinces of Puna, Atacama, Coquimbo, Santiago, Prepuna, Monte, and Central Patagonia ( Morrone 2006) (Fig. 23).

Diversity.

This subgenus contains 14 species ( Kulzer 1958; Flores 2009) plus 6 species to be described, 20 species in total, with a 43 percent increase in the number of species (Fig. 33).

Habitat.

Species of Praocis (Filotarsus) have nocturnal habits, remaining during the day under stones or plants. In central Chile they can be observed in gullies and Coastal and Andean mountain ranges from 400 m to an altitude of 2500 m. In Argentina, Bolivia, northern Chile and Peru they occur from 1600 m in high altitudinal valleys associated with the Andes mountain range to an altitude of 5200 m in the high Puna plateau, in clayey, poorly permeable soils ( Ferrú and Elgueta 2011; collection data FMNH, IADIZA, LEULS, and pers. obs.) (Fig. 24).

Species included.

Praocis tenuicornis Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840; Praocis castanea Germain, 1855; Praocis rufilabris Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840; Praocis uretai Kulzer, 1958 (= Praocis freyi Marcuzzi, 1977, synonymy by Flores 2009); Praocis reedi Kulzer, 1958; Praocis oblonga Solier, 1851; Praocis peltata Erichson, 1834; Praocis forsteri Kulzer, 1958; Praocis obesa Kulzer, 1958; Praocis titschacki Kulzer, 1958; Praocis brevicornis Kulzer, 1958; Praocis weyrauchi Kulzer, 1958; Praocis peruana Fairmaire, 1902; Praocis grossa Kulzer, 1958.