Gayana65(2): 137-148, 2001
ISSN0717-652X
LYNNYELLA, A NEW GENUS OF CLICK BEETLES FROM CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN CHILE (COLEÓPTERA: ELATERIDAE).
LYNNYELLA, UN NUEVO GÉNERO DE ESCARABAJO DEL CENTRO-SUR
DE CHILE (COLEOPERA: ELATERIDAE)
Elizabeth T. Arias
ABSTRACT
The new genus Lynnyella is here described. The type
species for the genus Lynnyella is Deromecus suturalis
(Candéze 1865). The new genus Lynnyella belongs
to the tribe Pomachiliini and includes: L. suturalis
(Candéze 1865) n. comb., L. concepcionensis Arias
n. sp., L. diegoi Arias n. sp., L. gerhardtae Arias n.
sp., L. juanjoseorum Arias n. sp., L. longaviensis Arias
n. sp., and L. valenciai Arias n. sp. The genus
Lynnyella is distributed in Central and Southern Chi-
le. The geographic distributions of these species are
mapped and a key is provided.
Keywords: Deromecus suturalis, Lynnyella,
Pomachiliini, Elaterinae, Elateridae.
RESUMEN
Se describe Lynnyella, nuevo género de Elateridae
para Chile, el cual tiene como especie tipo a
Deromecus suturalis Candéze 1865. Este género
pertenece a la tribu Pomachiliini, e incluye las si-
guientes especies: L. suturalis n. comb., L.
concepcionensis Arias n. sp., L. diegoi Arias n. sp.,
L. gerhardtae Arias n. sp., L. juanjoseorum Arias n.
sp., L. longaviensis Arias n. sp., y L. valenciai Arias
n. sp. Las especies del género Lynnyella se encuen-
tran distribuidas en la zona centro y sur de Chile.
Se proporciona un mapa con la distribución geo-
gráfica para las especies mencionadas y una clave
de éstas.
Palabras claves: Deromeus suturalis. Lynnyella.
Pomachiliini, Elaterinae. Elateridae
INTRODUCTION
E. O. Wilson (1992) explained that some of
the unique areas of the world, so called "hot spots",
are continuously threatened by development.
Systematists must pay special attention to these areas
that bear not only unique biota but also the means
to understand links in evolutionary processes. Cen-
R. M. Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of
California, Davis. Davis, CA 95616. Present address:
Essig Museum of Entomology 201 Wellman Hall,
University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, Ca 94720-
3445.
tral and Southern Chile is one of these hot spots,
rich in endemic species because of its isolation from
the rest of the continent. Unfortunately, most
systematic work in the region has been on hold since
the last century due to lack of funding, which tends
to be directed towards applied science studies.
While studying elaterids (Arias 1999) I found
that not only several species but also several genera
had been lumped together by poorly defined terms
on superficial morphology. Included were
representatives of the genera Podonema Solier 1 85 1 ,
Deromecus Solier 1851, Pomachilius Eschscholtz
1829 and the new genus Lynnyella all identified as
Deromecus suturalis. In his original description.
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