PEET - Austral Staphylinidae

Chile | December 2002

Chile is famous for the striking contrast between its great length (4300 km, from 18ºS to 56ºS latitude) and small width (maximum 400 km). The Pacific Ocean washes Chile’s west coast, the group of islands near the coast (of which Chiloé is the largest), and remote Pacific islands (Juan Fernández Archipelago and Easter Island). A major physiographic feature of Chile is the presence of two parallel mountain ranges, the Andean cordillera (Andes) in the east, and the Coastal range in the west, which border the plains of the Central Valley in between. The Andes are young and huge mountains, with their highest peaks in Chile reaching more than 6000 m, and with still active volcanism. The Coastal range is an older, lower, and less extensive mountain chain, with its greatest heights (around 3000 m) in northern Chile. The long north to south extent of the country, influence of the Pacific, presence of two parallel mountain chains, and combination of dramatically different forms of relief allow Chile to host a very diverse array of natural habitats.

Chilean landscapes vary from the world’s driest desert, the Atacama, in the north, through the mild Mediterranean-type environment near the capital, Santiago, through humid temperate forests of the Southern region to grasslands of Patagonia. Altitudinal zonation adds even more discontinuity to the whole habitat mosaic. In accordance with such habitat diversity, Chile harbors a rich flora and fauna (for instance: 112 native tree species; more than 430 species of birds; about 100 species of reptiles; and about 4000 species of beetles, including 1036 species of Staphylinidae.

The Chilean biota, in addition to its diversity, is interesting for its endemics (many of which are actually endemics of southern South America, also occurring in southern Argentina). Rates of endemism vary from group to group. For instance, of the more than 1036 species of staphylinid beetles recorded from Chile and adjacent southern Argentina, 942 are endemic (91%), about a third of the 94 non-endemic species being probable introductions. The roots of Chilean endemism lie in the long period of isolation experienced by the South American continent and Chile’s unusual geography; these caused biotic isolation by the Andes, the Pacific, and the Atacama desert. Apparently formation of the oldest of such endemics goes as far back as the former Gondwanaland (some 150 million years ago). Probably this Gondwanan component of Chilean - south Argentinian endemics explains why some fungi, plants and animals in Chile have closely related forms not in the neighboring parts of South America (as would be superficially expected), but in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. Exploration of this probably Gondwanan faunal component (very poorly known) among Staphylinid beetles brought our PEET team to Chile. Because of habitat requirements of Staphylinidae and time limits, we focused our efforts on visiting only the central and southern regions of Chile, as well as very humid Chiloé island. Most of our collecting in Chile was done in the best preserved natural habitats in various Chilean natural reserves (with the appropriate collecting permits from CONAF). During the trip we greatly enjoyed the country, its fascinating nature, and cheerful friendly people.

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