Epigean Tenebrionids (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Leones, Tova and Tovita Islands, Chubut, Argentina

CHELI, G.H., F. MARTÍNEZ, G. PAZOS, D. UDRIZAR SAUTHIER, F. CORONATO Y G.E. FLORES

Simposio; IV International Tenebrionoidea Symposium; 2015

The Interjurisdictional MarineCoastal "Patagonia Austral" National Park (PIMCPA) protects over 180 km of PatagonianAtlantic coastline in northern San Jorge gulf including an archipelago that comprisesmore than 39 islands of which the biggest are Leones, Tova andTovita. Birds and marine mammals of the area have been the subject of many researchesover the last 25 years. However, the entomological fauna that inhabits theislands is unknown. In this work darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) are reportedfor the first time in the islands, its species assemblage is described andtheir relationships with mainland entomofauna are studied. Between March 2013and December 2014 three entomological surveys were performed to these islandsusing pitfall traps and manual collecting. The insular fauna assemblage wasstudied and compared in relation to those to the mainland using MDS, ANOSIM andPCA. The occurrence of eight species, arranged in eight genera and four tribes,is recorded. Six species were common to the three islands, Psectrascelis sulcicollis Waterhouse was recorded as exclusive toTova and Tovita Islands,while Platesthes burmeisteriHaag-Rutenberg was only present on Leones Island. Althoughthere were no endemic species, the islands exhibit a differenttenebrionid species assemblage with respect to the continent. It is mainly composedby nocturnal or crepuscular species (including Praocis (Hemipraocis) fimbriata Burmeister, Patagonogenius quadricollis Fairmaire, Emmallodera crenaticostata crenaticostataBlanchard and Scotobius akidioidesWaterhouse), while several diurnal species of Nyctelia Berthold are the most common and diverse darkling beetles amongmainland fauna.