Title: Evidence of a possible local extinction in the north of Chile? The case of the tenebrionid Praocis (Orthogonoderes) insularis Kulzer, 1958 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Abstract: Abstract There are numerous causes of the extinction of insects, including the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of habitats, phenomena that have increased during the Anthropocene. Here we examine the current status of Praocis ( Orthogonoderes ) insularis Kulzer, 1958 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), an endemic element of the Chilean coastal desert described in 1958. This species has been recorded only on Guacolda Island (Atacama Region, Chile), whose insular ecosystem has been drastically modified by coastal mining interventions. This article includes a redescription of the species, a habitus picture of the species, a map of the sites where we have searched for Praocis ( Orthogonoderes ) insularis in the past 15 years, and current photos of its habitat on Guacolda Island. Implications for insect conservation We provide evidence regarding the local extinction of this species in an environment that has been greatly modified in the past 60 years. We also discuss the modifications to its habitat and the causes of a possible first local extinction of an insect in Chile.