Epigean tenebrionids (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Northern arid Patagonia: ecological remarks and their relationship with anthropic desertification

CHELI GERMAN HORACIO; FLORES GUSTAVO E.; MARTINEZ FERNANDO; MARTINEZ ROMÁN NICOLAS; PAZOS GUSTAVO; OLIVERA PATRICIA; ALFARO MARIANA; GIACOMINO SEBASTIAN

Mendoza

Simposio; IV International Symposium on Tenebrionoidea; 2015

CCT MENDOZA-CONICET

A mixed temperature-precipitation gradient causes great environmentalheterogeneity in arid Patagonia that determinescomplex biotic communities. Several environmental classifications were made inattempts to understand the effects of this heterogeneity, but thoseclassifications varie according to the author. Furthermore, in the context ofglobal climate change, desertification is the most important consequence ofhuman activities in arid Patagonia, and itsmain consequence is the loss of biodiversity. Darkling beetles are among themost abundant, diverse and best known insects of this region, and they areparticularly suitable for monitoring environmental changes. In this work thestructure and composition of tenebrionid beetles associations in the majorsenvironmental units of northern arid Patagoniaare described. Also, the effects of anthropogenic desertification over thesebeetles in each environmental unit are evaluated. Six sites on eachenvironmental unit, three conserved and three desertified, were selected. Then anentomological survey into these selected sites was performed using pitfalltraps. The occurrence of thirty eight species, arranged in fifteen genera, sixtribes and two subfamilies, have been recorded. The most specious genus was Nyctelia Berthold with ten species. Thetwo most abundant species were Nycteliarotundipennis Fairmaire and Nyctelia unicostata Fairmaire. Also there were many rarespecies. The tenebrionid assemblages were different between environmental units.The most characteristic species were Letynoderesnordenskioldi Kulzer, Hylithus tentyroides (Lacordaire),Epitragus spp Latreille in Monte; Nycteliadorsata Fairmaire, Nyctelia latiplicata Kulzer, Nyctelia blapoides Fairmairein Distrito Central; Nycteliarotundipennis, Nyctelia unicostata,Nyctelia fitzroyi Waterhouse, Emmallodera rugosa Silvestro & Flores in Sierras and Mesetas andPastizales Subandinos. Desertification produced alterations in tenebrionidspecies assemblages of all environmental units. These results have beenintegrated and their ecological outstanding are discussed.