Corresponding author: Elizabeth T. Arias-Bohart (
Academic editor: L. Penev
Arias-Bohart ET (2015)
Specimens and primary types repositories are from institutional and private collections. Acronyms follow those provided by the institution or
The following procedure as detailed by
The generic name Malalcahuello (gender masculine) is derived from the type locality of origin of the genus, Malalcahuello, in southern Chile. The word Malalcahuello derives from Mapudungun language
This genus differs from all other elaterid genera by the following combination of characters: strongly serrate antennae from antennomere 3 onwards, antennomere 2 very small, length about 0.4 times as long as antennomere 3; pronotum 0.76–0.99 as long as wide, convex, without deep impressions basally, lacking bioluminescent organs; stout, and protruding posterior angles with apex truncate; mesocoxal distance about 0.16 times mesocoxal cavity; wing venation with R cell elongate 4.2 times its width and wedge cell length 4 times its maximum width.
Body about 3.27–3.87 times as long as wide; pronotal sides slightly sinuated, narrower than elytral sides. Elytral maximum width at posterior third; elytral apices softly rounded, not meeting at mid-line. Dorsal vestiture short, spare, fine, with some erect and decumbent short, well distributed hairs (Fig.
Head slightly declined at base, transverse, ratio of median length to greatest postocular width 0.30–0.42. Eyes medium size, protuberant in both sexes, facetted, without interfacetal hairs. Supra-antennal ridges raised above, each antennal fossa with deep curved invagination between antennal insertion and eye; short (Fig.
Antennae in male surpassing posterior angles, antennomeres 3-10 strongly serrate, antennomere 11 elongate, longer than preceding ones; all antennomeres clothed with short, semi-decumbent goldish hairs and few erect, goldish long hairs. Female antennae shorter than male antennae (Fig.
Prothorax subquadrate, sides slightly sinuated, carinate and emarginate, visible for their entire lengths from above; posterior angles stout, protruding, with apex truncate and produced posterolaterally embracing humeral area; posterior edge without scutellar notch; disc finely punctate, clothed with gold sinuated vestiture; prosternum strongly combed, with deep punctures; notosternal suture complete, strongly sinuated, open at anterior end, curved at posterior end; prosternum puncticulate, with semi-erect, sparce hairs; prosternal process slightly narrower near base, then gradually expanded posteriorly, following procoxae in lateral view, extending well behind procoxae. Hypomeron simple, depressed medially, with deep punctures. Procoxae subglobular (Fig.
Scutellum not elevated, flat, anteriorly simple, posteriorly rounded, notched on the sides, all borders well defined, tongue-shaped. Elytra about 2.81–2.54 times as long at midline as greatest width and 4.43–5.02 times as long as pronotum; anterior edge carinate; humeri well developed; parallel-sided at anterior third, gradually enlarging towards posterior third, converging posteriorly, apices rounded, not meeting and central midline. Disc with 10 defined puncture rows.
Mesoventrite on same plane as metaventrite; mesocoxae projecting, mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated, open laterally to mesepisternum; mesocoxal distance 0.25 times mesocoxal diameter; mesosternal posterior region excavated and 0.23 times mesocoxal diameter length (Fig.
Hind wing about 2.63–2.66 times as long as wide; apical field about 0.6 times as long as total wing length, with 2 pigmented oblique linear sclerites; radial cell well developed, elongate, length 4.1 times as long as wide, with inner posterobasal angle acute; cross-vein r3 long, length about 2.2 times length of radial cell, horizontal and arising away from r4, which is slightly straight and complete; base of RP very long, extending to wing base; R-M loop forming narrowly acute angle; medial spur arise and then straight; medial field with five free veins; MP3+4 branching in 2 long veins; wedge cell length about 2.8 times its width (Fig.
Tarsomeres 1–3 elongate, tarsomere 4 smaller than precedents; pretarsal claws simple; empodium short, not extending between claws; tarsomeres 2, 3 and 4 lobate (Fig.
17 Ventral view of
Female genitalia: bursa copulatrix globular, space shuttle shape from above, one spherical thicker gold gland medially, sides of bursa with 2–3 spinules semi-curved (Figs
Male genitalia: aedeagus symmetrical, phallobase broadly rounded; each paramere with a lateral hook at apex; median lobe attached to parameres both dorsally and ventrally (Fig.
Southern Chile: provinces Ñuble and Malleco.
This species is named in honor of Sergio Ocares Figueroa, long time friend, and excellent insect collector from Los Lleuques, Region VIII, Chile.
Holotype: male, total body length 11.63 mm, width 3.00 mm. (Fig.
Head and mandibles dark brown; antenna same color as head.
Pronotum about 0.76–0.99 times as long at midline as its greatest width; reddish, with long, gold semi-decumbent curved hairs; punctate, punctures separated for more than one own diameter; prosternal spine about 0.63 times as long as diameter of procoxal cavity.
Scutellum black or same color than elytra, anterior border sometimes darker; with long, thin, gold semi-decumbent hairs; Elytra about 2.54–2.81 times as long at midline as its greatest width; black or dark brown; elytral punctures closely aligned in rows forming a defined striae; posterior edge of mesosternal cavity excavate. Legs brown, vestiture black; tarsomeres 2, 3 and 4 with lobes, lobes of tarsomeres 3 and 4 spongiose and extending well beyond tarsomere length apically (Fig.
Aedeagus. Length 1.89 mm, and 0.35 mm wide; parameres apex globose with a hook, with at least 3 strong setae (Fig.
Southern Chile. Provinces: Ñuble and Malleco.
Variation within species ranges in males 11.06-13.09 mm in length, and females 15.25-15.75mm in length; elytra color black to dark brown.
HOLOTYPE: ♂Chile VIII Region/ Las Trancas 18/24/xii/2005 Malaise Trap/ Arias & Ocares UC Berkeley
PARATYPES:♀ Chile Malleco/ Tolhuaca Curac./ 15.i.1950 L. Peña// Alotipo (red)
♀Chile Malleco/ Rio Blanco Cur. / 15.ii.1954 L. Peña E. //
♀Chile Malleco/ Río Blanco Termas / 15.i.1974 L. Peña //
♀Chile Malleco /I 1996/ A. /Ugarte //
♂CHILE Malleco Pr.:/ Malalcahuello, 13.7 km E/ of on road to Lonquimay./ 1565m
♂Chile VIII Region/ Las Trancas 18/24/xii/2005 Malaise Trap/ Arias & Ocares UC Berkeley
♂Chile VIII Region/ Las Trancas 18/24/xii/2005 Malaise Trap/ Arias & Ocares UC Berkeley
♂Chile Ñuble Shangrila/ 6-11/XII.1998. / J Mondaca /
♂CHILE Malleco Pr.:/ Malalcahuello, 13.7 km E/ of on road to Lonquimay./ 1565m
♂Las Trancas / VIII Region Chile. Enero 1982/ Coll. T. Curkovic. //
♂Chile Ñuble Prov. / Las Trancas 19.5 km/ E Recinto. 1250, / trap site 647/ 10.xii.82–3.i.1983/
♂Chile Malleco/ Rio Blanco Cur./ 15.ii.1954 L. Peña E. [JEBT] Ex-COLECCION / Jorge Valencia / JVCC / Chile 001619 // COLECCION JEBC / Juan Enrique / Barriga-Tuñon / Chile 0203579 //
♂Chile 1400 mts/ prov. Malleco/ vn. Lonquimay/ 22-Dic-1994/ Leg. J. E. Barriga// Coleccion JE Barriga/ //
♂CHILE REGION IX (LA ARAUCANIA)/ P.N. Villarrica. Paso Mamuil Malal/ Araucaria Picnic area/
Other Material studied:
♂Chile Bío Bío / Los Angeles/ 26-12-1940 /
1 | Clypeus more than 4 times as long as its width (Fig. |
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– | Clypeus less than 4 times as long as its width (Fig. |
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Members of the
Patrick Grootaert provided access to the type material and provided space to conduct my research in the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique.
SEM photos were obtained by Julien Cillis at the Institut royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique (RBINS), and Scott Serata at the California Academy of Sciences (CAS). Color photos were obtained by Yves Laurent and Isabelle Bachy at the Institut royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique.
Thierry Deuve, Stephane Boucher and Antoine Mantilleri kindly provided access to the type material and facilities at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris; Sergio Riese provided Chilean
Rosser Garrison provided editorial support. Hume Douglas and an anonymous reviewer provided valuable information on
The National Science Foundation DEB 445413 to ET Arias & KW Will, the Evert Schlinger Foundation, and the Fulbright Commission of Educational Exchange, Belgium, provided support to my research.