Praocis (Postpraocis) Flores & Pizarro-Araya

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 : 59-61

(3) Subgenus Praocis (Postpraocis) Flores & Pizarro-Araya subgen. n. Figs 8, 19-20

Type species.

Praocis pentachorda Burmeister, 1875, present designation.

Diagnosis.

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

Distribution.

Species of Praocis (Postpraocis) inhabit central and northern Chile and western and northern Argentina. They occur from 19°South (Termas de Enquelga, Colchane, Tarapacá Region, Chile) to 34°South in Chile (Rancagua) and 33°South in Argentina (Mendoza) in the biogeographic provinces of Atacama, Coquimbo, Santiago, Puna, Prepuna and Monte ( Morrone 2006) (Fig. 19).

New records.

We present new records of Praocis (Postpraocis) pentachorda Burmeister for the Region Tarapacá of Chile and southern Bolivia and of Praocis (Postpraocis) curtisi Solier for the Pacific islands Damas (29°13'S, 71°31'W), Gaviota (29°15'S, 71°28'W) and Choros (29°15'S, 71°32'W) ( Alfaro et al. 2009; Ferrú and Elgueta 2011; collection data).

Diversity.

This subgenus contains 7 species/subspecies ( Kulzer 1958; Flores 2007, 2009) plus 3 species to be described, 10 species in total, with a 43 percent increase in the number of species (Fig. 33).

Habitat.

Species of Praocis (Postpraocis) have diurnal habits, remaining during the night under stones or plants. In central Chile they can be observed walking on coastal plains or in sandy places lying from sea level to an altitude of ~1300 m. In Argentina, northern Chile and Bolivia, they occur from 1600 m in high altitudinal valleys associated with the Andes mountain range to an altitude of 4200 m in the high Puna plateau, in sandy soils or clayey, poorly permeable soils ( Ferrú and Elgueta 2011; Cortés-Contreras et al. 2013; collection data FMNH, IADIZA, LEULS, and pers. obs.) (Fig. 20).

Species included.

Praocis curtisii Solier, 1851; Praocis costatula Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840 (= Praocis angulifera Philippi & Philippi, 1864, synonymy by Kulzer 1958); Praocis pubescens Philippi & Philippi, 1864; Praocis pentachorda Burmeister, 1875 (= Praocis larraini Marcuzzi, 2001, synonymy by Flores 2009); Praocis pentachorda minor Kulzer, 1958; Praocis aenescens Kulzer, 1958; Praocis concinna Burmeister, 1875.