Praocis (Praocis) elliptica Philippi & Philippi, 1864

Flores, Gustavo E. & Pizarro-Araya, Jaime, 2012, Systematic revision of the South American genus Praocis Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Part 1: Introduction and subgenus Praocis s. str., Zootaxa 3336, pp. 1-35 : 19-20

Praocis (Praocis) elliptica Philippi & Philippi, 1864

( Figs. 8 − 9, 13 , 21 , 29 )

Praocis elliptica Philippi & Philippi, 1864: 342 ; Gemminger & Harold, 1870: 1905 (cat.); Philippi, 1887: 731 (cat.); Gebien, 1910: 260 (cat.); Gebien, 1938: 398 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1945: 522 (cat.); Kulzer, 1958: 25 [as synonym of Praocis submetallica Guérin-Méneville, 1834 ]; Peña, 1966: 430 (cat.) [as synonym of Praocis submetallica ]; Flores, 2007: 412 (resurrection & lectot.).

Praocis angustata Philippi & Philippi, 1864: 341 ; Gemminger & Harold, 1870: 1905 (cat.); Philippi, 1887: 731 (cat.); Gebien, 1910: 260 (cat.); Gebien, 1938: 398 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1945: 522 (cat.); Kulzer, 1958: 25 [as synonym of Praocis submetallica Guérin-Méneville, 1834 ]; Peña, 1966: 430 (cat.) [as synonym of Praocis submetallica ]; Flores, 2007: 412 (syn. & lectot.). Synonymy by Kulzer, 1958: 25.

Redescription. Length 9.0–11.0 mm. Body black or dorsal surface black and ventral surface dark brown, antennae dark brown, legs black to dark brown. Head. Clypeus and frons glabrous, with round punctures; antennae reaching midpoint of lateral margin of pronotum; antennomere 9 longer than wide, with apical tomentose sensory patches arranged in two areas separated dorsally; antennomere 10 as wide as antennomere 11. Thorax. Pronotum widest behind midpoint; disc and lateral quarters glabrous; punctures of disc same size as punctures of elytron; width of anterior margin not exceeding half the width of posterior margin; lateral quarters convex, dorsal surface of lateral margin bearing a tuft of short golden setae; posterior angles acute, apex pointed ( Fig. 21 ); prosternum horizontal, with edge on anterior margin broadened below gula; prosternal process produced backwards, not reaching the midpoint of the space between pro– and mesocoxae ( Fig. 13 ); prosternum and mesosternum with punctures. Elytron with one carina more approximate to lateral margin than suture, with a broad groove over lateral margin occupying outer third or quarter of elytra, bearing short, broad, golden, scaly setae ( Fig. 21 ); dorsal surface glabrous, with punctures; pseudopleuron with long setae arising on punctures, bearing a row of setae below lateral margin; epipleuron with short setae arising on protuberances, lacking a row of setae on the edge of anterior quarter. Legs. Ventral surface of meso– and metafemora lacking a row of setae on posterior edge. Inner surface of meso– and metatibiae with short, stout setae. Metatibiae straight. Male genitalia. Rods of sterna IX “V”-shaped. Basal lamina of tegmen distally narrowed, with base concave. Lateral styles of tegmen with proximal margin ventrally bisinuate, widest at base, with setae on distal half of ventral surface ( Fig. 9 ). Median lobe moderate (0.75 <L/T ≤ 1.00), distally broadened, with apical aperture large and apex rounded ( Fig. 8 ). Female genitalia. Paraprocts moderate (1.2 ≤ P/C ≤ 2.0); baculi of coxite inclined 45°; proctigeral baculus extending proximad much beyond paraproct baculus; apicodorsal lobe of proctiger extending about ¼ length of coxite.

Type material. Lectotype of Praocis elliptica : [ Praocis / elliptica / (Phil.). (handwritten by Philippi)] [Lectotypus/ Praocis elliptica / Philippi & Philippi, 1864 / Des. G. Flores 2006] ( MNNC) .

Note: Flores (2007: 412) designated lectotype.

Lectotype of Praocis angustata : [ Praocis / angustata / (Phil.). (handwritten by Philippi)] [Lectotypus / Praocis angustata / Philippi & Philippi, 1864 / Des. G. Flores 2006] ( MNNC).

Note: Flores (2007: 412) designated lectotype.

Other material examined. CHILE. Coquimbo Region: Elqui Province : Coquimbo, 1.ix.1947, L.E. Peña, 1 ( FMNH). Limarí Province: Río Los Molles , Ovalle , 2400 m, 19.xi.1961, L.E. Peña, 2 ( FMNH). Choapa Province: Hacienda Illapel , 600–1000 m, 1–6.xi.1954, L.E. Peña, 2 ( FMNH), 16.xi.1963, L.E. Peña, 1 ( FMNH), Illapel , 10.iii.1964, A. Mesa, 1 ( IADIZA), Caimanes , 19.x.1969, L.E. Peña, 2 ( FMNH), Canela Alta , 24.x.1961, L.E. Peña, 1 ( FMNH), Puerto Oscuro , 18–28.ix.1947, L.E. Peña, 2 ( FMNH), 1 ( MNNC), 18.xi.1971, G. Santic, 1 ( MNNC), 23.ix.2004, J. Pizarro-Araya 1 ( LEULS), El Naranjo, Tilama , Quilimari , 2.xi.1969, L.E. Peña, 2 ( FMNH), Ñague , 26.ix.1980, L.E. Peña, 1 ( FMNH), Ñague, 30 km N Los Vilos , 13.x.1967, G. Zuffi, 1 ( FMNH), 1 ( PVGH), 40 km N Los Vilos, 1.x.1983, A. Roig, 1 ( IADIZA), Los Vilos , 27.x.1965, L.E. Peña, 1 ( FMNH), 15.x.1967, G. Zuffi, 1 ( IADIZA), Quereo , 31º 55´35.2´´ S, 71º 30´44.2´´ W, 17 m, 25-x-2009, coll: J. Pizarro-Araya, 2 ( IADIZA), M. Cortes, 1 ( IADIZA), J.P. Castillo, 1 ( IADIZA), 1.xi.2008, F. Alfaro, 5 ( LEULS).

Geographic distribution. Chile (Coquimbo Region, Río Los Molles to Quereo), in the Coquimbo biogeographic province.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Geographical distribution of four species of Praocis (Praocis): P. (P.) bicentenario, P. (P.) elliptica, P. (P.) medvedevi, and P. (P.) sulcata.

FIGURES 5 − 14. Male and female genitalia and body details of Praocis (Praocis) species. 5. Fore tibia and tarsus in anterior view of Praocis (P.) sanquinolenta. 6 − 9: Male: 6, 7. P. (P.) rufipes, dorsal and ventral views; 8, 9. P. (P.) elliptica, dorsal and ventral views. Abbreviations: bl, basal lamina of tegmen, ls, lateral styles of tegmen, ml, median lobe. 10. Ovipositor (ventral view), spiculum and internal female reproductive tract of P. (P.) hirtella. Abbreviations: c, coxite, o, oviduct, p, paraproct, s, spermatheca, sag, spermathecal accessory gland, sp, spiculum, v, vagina. 11 – 14. Prosternum and mesosternun, lateral aspect. 11. P. (P.) costata; 12. P. (P.) quadrisulcata; 13. P. (P.) elliptica; 14. P. (P.) marginata. Abbreviations: p, prosternum, m, mesosternum. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 21 − 26. Habitus in dorsal view. 21. Praocis (Praocis) elliptica; 22. P. (P.) spinolai; 23. P. (P.) medvedevi sp. nov., holotype; 24. P. (P.) aenea; 25. P. (P.) tibialis; 26. P. (P.) parva.