Praocis sellata bruchi Kulzer, 1958

Flores, Gustavo E., Carrara, Rodolfo & Cheli, Germán H., 2011, Three new Praociini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Peninsula Valdés (Argentina), with zoogeographical and ecological remarks, Zootaxa 2965, pp. 39-50 : 41

Praocis sellata bruchi Kulzer, 1958

( Figs. 1−2 )

Praocis sellata bruchi Kulzer, 1958: 61 .

Praocis sellata topali Kaszab, 1964: 358 . NEW SYNONYMY.

Type material. Paratypes of Praocis sellata bruchi ( Fig. 1 ): [Santa Cruz/ Bruch leg] [Paratypus / Praocis sellata / bruchi m./ H. Kulzer 1957] ( HNHM); [Patag.(onia) Bahia/ de las Nodales/ Dade leg] [Paratypus / Praocis sellata / bruchi m./ H. Kulzer 1957] ( FMNH).

Holotype of Praocis sellata topali ( Fig. 2 ): [S. Arg. Rio Negro/ Norquinco, Topál] [Nr. 238/ 22.I.1961] [Holotypus 1964/ Praocis (Hemi -/ praocis ) sellata / ssp. topali / ssp. nov. Kaszab] ( HNHM).

Discussion. Kaszab (1964) described Praocis sellata topali based upon a single specimen from Ñorquinco, Rio Negro, Western Patagonia ( Argentina). After studying the type specimens of subspecies of Praocis sellata , we found that P. sellata topali is a synonym with P. sellata bruchi based on the characters shared by both nominal subspecies: clypeus sparsely punctured, with sparse setae, with two depressions in anterior angles; frons with sparse punctures; pronotum shiny, disc smooth, lateral quarters with small, sparse punctures; elytron with a main carina raised, lacking secondary carinae, lateral margin carina-shaped. According to Kaszab (1964), P. sellata topali only differs from Praocis sellata bruchi by having the elytral area between main carinae and suture less concave and smooth. We conclude that in this subspecies the elytral surface between main carinae and suture is either smooth or with few protuberances, and the concavity may vary between individuals. This was also confirmed after studying abundant material of P. sellata bruchi (Appendix 1). New and constant characters are used in the key to the five subspecies of Praocis (Hemipraocis) sellata presented below.

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 6. 1. Praocis sellata bruchi, holotype HNHM; 2. P. sellata topali, paratype HNHM; 3. Praocis sellata peninsularis ssp. nov., holotype; 4. Praocis sellata bergi, paratype HNHM; 5. P. sellata granulipennis ssp. nov., paratype; 6. Calymmophorus peninsularis sp. nov., paratype.