Coleoptera
Carabidae (Dr. Kipling Will)
http://nature.berkeley.edu/~kiplingw/
Coleoptera of Chile (Dr. Elizabeth Arias, Dr. Kipling Will)
The main objective of our current NSF project (to ET Arias & KW Will) is to conduct a survey of the endemic taxa of Chile that developed from ancient Gondwanian elements, resulting in a native fauna unique to the region. Faunal inventories of this sort must be performed before we lose our chance to understand the historical factors that shaped the Chilean biota, knowledge that is interconnected with the origins of life on Earth.
Southern Chile remained unallocated during the most recent glacial advance and consequently has a remarkable number of precinctive and presumably ancient lineages. Understanding distribution and diversity of these lineages is fundamental to building the context of biotic change in the southern continents. It is also widely recognized that this region is under-protected and rapidly succumbing to anthropic activities, namely habitat fragmentation and land conversion.
Coleoptera, which exemplify biodiversity, are a logical and effectual focal taxa. The results of this project, however, will be specimens from many arthropod groups that will be used by numerous researchers for systematic, biogeographic and conservation studies.
http://www.coleopterosdechile.cl
http://www.coleopterosdechile.cl/research.html
Coleopteros de Chile. Elizabeth Arias. 2000. Dr. Elizabeth Arias published Coleopteros de Chile in 2000, a Spanish-language book featuring numerous photographs and illustrations of a diverse array of Chilean beetles. The book also provides information for each beetle pictured, including its family, habitat, and geographic distribution in Chile. Copies of the book are available for sale. Please contact Dr. Arias for information.
Dr. Elizabeth Arias' Chilean Beetle Publications
2009. Arias, E.T., Slipisski, A., Lawrence, J.F. and M. Elgueta. A review of the Chilean Egoliini (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae), Zootaxa, 2170:37-
2009. Lawrence, J.F. and E.T. Arias. Valdivelater a new genus of Elateridae (Protelaterini) from Chile and notes on australasian Lissominae. Lawrence J. F., Zoologici, 59 (3):319-328. Warsaw.
View as a PDF (4.9 Mb).
2008. Elgueta, M., Arias, E.T. & K. W. Will. Curculionoidea (Coleoptera) en follaje de árboles del centro-sur de Chile. En: Llorente B., J. & A. Lanteri (eds.), Contribuciones taxonómicas en ordenes de insectos hiperdiversos, pp. 177-200. UNAM/RIBES-CYTED/Museo de la Plata, México, D.F. [Las Prensas de Ciencias UNAM, México 221 p. ISBN 978-970-32-5417-0].View as a PDF (1.9 Mb).
2008. E.T. Arias. A new click beetle genus from Southern Chile: Elateridae, Elaterinae): Llanquihue (Coleoptera, Elateridae), Elaterinae). Journal of Insect Science. http://www.insectscience.View as a PDF (1.0 Mb).
2007. Arias, E. T., Richardson, B., & M. Elgueta. The canopy beetle faunas of Gondwanan element trees in Chilean temperate forests. Journal of Biogeography, (35)5: 914-925.View as a PDF (319 kb).
2007. E.T. Arias. Rehabilitation of a Chilean Click beetle genus Mecothorax. Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 80:200-221.View as a PDF (11.5 Mb).
2006. E.T. Arias. A new click beetle genus from the Chilean Central Andes: Bohartina (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Elaterinae). 10pp. Journal of Insect Science insect science.org/6.31View as a PDF (868 kb).
2005. E.T. Arias. A replacement name for a Chilean Click beetle Sofia (Coleoptera Elateridae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 59(1):22.View as a PDF (299 kb).
Aquatic Byrrhoidea (Dr. William D. Shepard, Cheryl Barr)
Within the Superfamily Byrrhoidea there are two major family groups - one group has mostly terrestrial representatives while the other has mostly aquatic representatives. This latter group contains the families Dryopidae, Elmidae, Lutrochidae and Psephenidae. Representatives of these four families are found in rivers, streams, springs, lakes, and other waters. They are commonly called riffle beetles, cascade beetles, water penny beetles and travertine beetles.
In both the terrestrial and aquatic family groups there is a large number of known, but as yet undescribed, genera and species, and it is likely that there is an even larger number of as-yet-uncollected species. The Byrrhoidea fauna is particularly poorly known in the Ethiopean, Oriental and Neotropical zoogeographic regions. Given the large number of undescribed taxa, most research with aquatic byrrhoids involves alpha taxonomy. Only recently have there been attempts to construct phylogenies with subgroups within Byrrhoidea.
The aquatic Byrrhoidea are valuable as indicators of water quality. Most live in mountainous streams typified by low pollution, high dissolved oxygen, cool temperatures, fast flow, low sediment loads, etc. Hence, their presence usually indicates high water quality. Many elmids are associated only with unpolluted streams exiting primary forests.
Worldwide Bibliography of Aquatic and Semiaquatic Byrrhoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera). 2007. William D. Shepard.
This bibliography is an ongoing project to record the literature on aquatic and semiaquatic Byrrhoidea (Dryopidae, Elmidae, Eulichadidae, Limnichidae, Lutrochidae, Psephenidae and Ptilodactylidae). Papers included herein are those that deal predominantly with byrrhoids. Periodically more citations are added; check the date at the bottom of the Introduction to see when the latest update was performed. Feel free to use this in whatever way is useful.
View as a PDF (450k).
Phylogeny of Psephenidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) Based on Larval, Pupal and Adult Characters. 2007. Lee, Satô, Shepard, Jäch.
View as a PDF (5.1 Mb).
Preliminary Survey of the Aquatic Beetle Families Dryopidae, Elmidae, Lutrochidae and Psephenidae Known from Paraguay (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea). 2010. Shepard, W.D. & C.A. Julio.
Four families, 20 genera and 28 species were collected and identified in a preliminary survey of aquatic byrrhoid beetles from Paraguay—most of them representing the first records for the country. The state of knowledge of the aquatic byrrhoids of Paraguay is discussed. A key for the families and genera known from the country is given as well as a systematic list and tables about the shape, size, habitat, micro-habitat and general distribution of the species recorded.
View as a PDF (614 kb).
Brylemis Barr (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae), A New Genus of Riffle Beetle With Three New Species Ffrom The Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. 2011. Cheryl Barr.
Bryelmis Barr, a new genus of elmid, and three new species, Bryelmis idahoensis Barr, Bryelmis rivularis Barr, and Bryelmis siskiyou Barr, are described from streams and springs in Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho. Drawings or photographs of the adult habitus and male genitalia of each species, and of the larval habitus of the genus, are included, as well as a key to the adults of the species and revised couplets for insertion into existing adult and larval keys to the Elmidae. The biogeography, habitat, and microhabitat of the species are discussed. Aquatic liverworts are the unusual primary microhabitat of all three species of Bryelmis.
View as a PDF (5.1 Mb).
