Tetracha affinis brevisulcata Horn, 1907

Pett, Brogan L., Wyer, Rufus & Smith, Paul, 2022, Contributions to the knowledge of tiger beetles in Paraguay, with new country and departmental records (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), Fragmenta entomologica 54 (1), pp. 163-170 : 167-168

Tetracha affinis brevisulcata Horn, 1907

Material examined (71 specimens): BOQUERÓN “ Fortín Toledo ” (CIPLT- E 7263, 7264, 7265, 7266; leg. P.S.: 29 November 2018) ; PRESIDENTE HAYES “ Laguna Capitán ” ( CIPLT-E 7257 , 7258 ; leg. P.S.: 27 November 2018) ; ÑEEMBUCÚ “ Pilar Military Base ” ( CIPLT-E 7260 , 7261 : leg. B.L.P.: 16 December 2018); ( CIPLT-E 7476 , 7477 , 7478 ; leg. B.L.P. & Jack H. McBride: 23 November 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7471 , 7472 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 10 December 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7463 , 7464 , 7465 , 7466 , 7467 , 7468 , 7479 , 7480 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 27 December 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7482 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 01 January 2020) ; “ Ciudad de Pilar ” ( CIPLT-E 7259 ; leg. B.L.P.: 16 December 2018) ; “ Pilar Military Base ” ( CIPLT-E 7211 ; leg. B.L.P.: 21 March 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7475 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 23 November 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7473 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 10 December 2019); ( CIPLT-E 7469 , 7470 , 7481 ; leg. R.W. & B.L.P.: 27 December 2019) ; “ Pilar Military Base ” ( CIPLT-E 8791 , 8792 , 8793 , 8794 , 8795 , 8796 , 8798 , 8799 , 8800 , 8801 , 8802 , 8803 , 8804 , 8805 , 8805 , 8806 , 8807 , 8808 , 8809 , 8810 , 8811 , 8812 , 8813 , 8814 , 8815 , 8816 , 8817 , 8818 , 8819 , 8820 , 8821 , 8822 , 8823 , 8824 , 8825 , 8826 , 8827 , 8828 , 8829 , 8830 , 8831 , 8832 , 8833 , 8834 , 8835 , 8836 , 8837 , 8838 ; R.W. & B. L. P.: 17 February 2020; SAN PEDRO “ Rancho Laguna Blanca ” ( CIPLT-E 7131 , 7132 , 7133 ; leg. unknown: 17 February 2016).

Distribution. Previously documented from Alto Paraguay, Boquerón and Presidente Hayes departments, in the Dry and Humid Chaco west of the Paraguay River ( Sawada & Wiesner 2002). The species presence in Ñeembucú (also associated with the Humid Chaco ecoregion) is perhaps to be expected, but the San Pedro records extend the distribution to the Cerrado region. The specimens reported here are also the first Paraguayan reports from east of the Paraguay River.

Comments. The species was found predominantly at trapping-sites straddling the boundary between a dirt road and forest (56 specimens), with two specimens found at forest sites 20m away from said boundary, and a further seven specimens found at sites on the forest- grassland edge. This apparent affinity for open habitats is consistent with previous ecological findings for the Tetracha genus (Adis et al. 1998; Cividanes et al. 2010; 2017).