Terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, Coquimbo Region, Chile

Abstract

The Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, located in the coastal mountain range of the Coquimbo region, occupies an area of arid mediterranean climate with marine influence, dominated by vegetative formations of desert scrub and with presence of forested relics associated with peaks exposed to coastal fogs. This work describes the terrestrial isopod fauna of the Bosque Fray Jorge National Park based on material obtained during two campaigns carried out in 2017. The surveys were successful only in damp microhabitats, such as the rocky supratidal, mist forests, water bodies and springs associated with human settlements. A total of 12 species, distributed in 11 genera and 9 families were registered, which constitutes an increase of 92% in the local oniscofauna diversity. A half of the isopods species collected are exotic, while among native species, at least two of them have not been described.The exotic species Haplophthalmus danicus is the first representative of the family Trichoniscidae known in Chile, while Platyarthrus aiasensis and Trichorhina tomentosa are the first myrmecophilous species. On the other hand, although Porcellionides pruinosus and Armadillidium vulgare had already been recorded in the country, these are the first known locations in continental Chile. Finally, the exotic species Niambia capensis is cited for the first time in areas far from marine influence. Among the native isopods, only Chileoniscus marmoratus had previously been registered in the park. However, the presence of Benthanoides sp., Ligia novizelandiae and Tylos chilensis are confirmed, because these species have been previously reported in locations northern and southern the study area. The record of the family Dubioniscidae requires confirmation, as it is based on incomplete material. This work has allowed to add five species to the Chilean oniscofauna, so the diversity of the group would reach a total of 15 families, 27 genera and 50 species in the country.