Praocis (Anthrasomus) Guerin-Meneville , 1834

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 : 61-62

(4) Subgenus Praocis (Anthrasomus) Guerin-Meneville, 1834 Figs 9, 21-22

Type species.

Anthrasomus chevrolatii Guérin-Méneville, 1834, monotypy.

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 horizontal groove covered by frons, clypeus lower than frons; 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 not defined; ventral surface of profemora without a row of setae on anterior edge, protibiae not explanate.

Distribution.

Species of Praocis (Anthrasomus) inhabit central Chile and occur from 28°South (Freirina, Atacama Region) to 33°South (San Fernando, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins Region) in the biogeographic provinces of Atacama, Coquimbo, and Santiago ( Morrone 2006) (Fig. 21).

Diversity.

This subgenus contains 5 species/subspecies ( Kulzer 1958; Flores 2007) plus 1 species to be described, 6 species in total, with a 20 percent increase in the number of species (Fig. 33).

Habitat.

Species of Praocis (Anthrasomus) have nocturnal habits, remaining during the day under stones or plants in coastal plains, gullies, and transverse valleys in semiarid Chile. They occur from sea level to an altitude of 2800 m, in stony-clayey, poorly permeable soils (collection data FMNH, IADIZA, LEULS, and pers. obs.) (Fig. 22).

Species included.

Praocis chevrolatii Guérin-Méneville, 1834 (= Praocis gayi Solier, 1840, synonymy by Kulzer 1958) (= Praocis hispidula Philippi & Philippi, 1864, synonymy by Kulzer 1958) (= Praocis laticollis Philippi & Philippi, 1864, synonymy by Kulzer 1958); Praocis chevrolatii subcostata Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840 (= Praocis chevrolatii coquimboana Kaszab, 1969, synonymy by Flores 2007); Praocis chevrolatii nigra Kulzer, 1958; Praocis hirtuosa Gay & Solier in Solier, 1840 (= Praocis pubens Philippi & Philippi, 1864, synonymy by Kulzer 1958); Praocis nuda Kulzer, 1958.