Delimitation of biogeographic districts in central Patagonia (southern South America), based on beetle distributional patterns (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

Based on distributional patterns of 93 beetle species belonging to the families Carabidae and Tenebrionidae, we identified three generalized tracks within the Central Patagonia biogeographic province, located in southern South America. These generalized tracks are considered natural biogeographic units, and herein treated as districts: (1) Payunia district: in the northwestern corner of the Central Patagonia biogeographic province, in southern Mendoza and northern Neuquén provinces in Argentina; (2) Central district: including the greatest part of the biogeographic province, extending from southern Río Negro to central Santa Cruz province in Argentina; and (3) Fuegian district: extending from southern Santa Cruz province in Argentina to northern Tierra del Fuego, in Argentina and Chile. Notably, these districts coincide with three geological basins: the Payunia district with the Neuquén basin, the Central district with the San Jorge basin, and the Fuegian district with the Magellanes basin.