Systematic position and cladistic analysis of Gyrasida Koch, a remarkable genus of Praocini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Chile

FLORES, G.E. & P. VIDAL

Zootaxa

Magnolia Press

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2009 vol. 1978 p. 48 - 62

1175-5326

The genus Gyrasida Koch (Pimeliinae: Praocini), distributed in central Chile is revised. Prior to this study Gyrasida was considered a subgenus of the South African Afrasida Wilke. Gyrasida is elevated to generic status and transferred from Asidini to Praocini on the basis of constant tribal level characters. Character states of Gyrasida shared with the other genera of Praocini and not shared with genera of Asidini are discussed. A cladistic analysis of the six species of the genus is presented including: G. propensa (Wilke, 1921) (type species), G. lucianoi Flores & Vidal, 2007, G. fernandoi Flores & Vidal, 2007, G. tomasi Vidal, 2007, G. franciscae Vidal, 2007, and G. camilae Vidal, 2007. This article includes a redescription of the genus, habitus photographs, illustrations of external morphology and genitalic features, a cladogram, and a distribution map.