Praocis (Mesopraocis) 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

(2) Subgenus Praocis (Mesopraocis) Flores & Pizarro-Araya subgen. n. Figs 7, 17-18

Type species.

Praocis calderana Kulzer, 1958, 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 of equal length to 10, antennomere 11 of equal length to 10; apical tomentose sensory patches on antennomere 10 in two areas subequal in size, on antennomere 11 on distal third; prosternum with a narrow edge on anterior margin; lateral margin of elytron not defined; ventral surface of profemora with a row of setae on anterior edge, protibiae very explanate.

Distribution.

Species of Praocis (Mesopraocis) are endemic to northern Chile and occur from 25°South (Paposo, Antofagasta Region) to 31°South (Caleta Limarí, Coquimbo Region) in the biogeographic provinces of Atacama and Coquimbo ( Morrone 2006) (Fig. 17).

New records.

We present new records for some Pacific islands. We recorded the species Praocis (Mesopraocis) pilula Laporte and Praocis (Mesopraocis) flava Kulzer for Damas (29°13'S, 71°31'W) and Gaviota Islands (29°15'S, 71°28'W) ( Alfaro et al. 2009).

Diversity.

This subgenus contains 4 species ( Kulzer 1958) plus 1 species to be described, 5 species in total, with a 25 percent increase in the number of species (Fig. 33).

Habitat.

The distribution range of the subgenus extends from sea level to an altitude of ~1325 m. All Mesopraocis species are associated with coastal dunes stabilized with vegetation or paleodunes in the transitional coastal desert of Chile and have nocturnal habits, remaining during the day under stones or plants ( Cortés-Contreras et al. 2013, collection data FMNH, IADIZA, LEULS, MNNC, and pers. obs.) (Fig. 18).

Species included.

Praocis pilula Laporte, 1840 (= Coelus hirticollis Solier, 1840, synonymy by Lacordaire 1859); Praocis calderana Kulzer, 1958; Praocis flava Kulzer, 1958; Praocis nitens Kulzer, 1959.