The dominant habitat in CCB is desertic shrub of the microphyle and rosetophyle variants, which include sotol, mesquite, secondary grassland and semi-aquatic vegetation associated with ponds. The climate is desertic dry (BW) (García 1964) with three well-defined seasons: rainy, cold dry and hot dry. All localities that were selected have superficial water (except Río Cañón) and included all habitats present in CCB. Most habitats had some degree of perturbation due to different issues such as cattle grazing, agriculture and tourism. The localities were the following: (1) Churince (26°50'30.3"N, 102°08'9.9"W), (2) Rancho PRONATURA (26°49'38.9"N, 102°01'24.4"W), (3) Rancho Orozco (26°52'18.3"N, 102°05'16.8"W), (4) Antiguos Mineros (26°46'57.7"N, 102°00'20.2"W), (5) Poza Azul (26°55'21.2"N, 102°72'3.6"W), (6) Río Cañón (27°00'33.7"N, 102°04'42.3"W) and (7) San José del Anteojo (26°58'11.5"N, 102°07'26.4"W) (Fig. 1). The distribution map was made using ArcGIS server (Bader 2005).

Fourteen field trips were performed during 2012 and 2013. Records from sporadic trips in 2009 and 2010 are also included. Sampling totalled 84 collecting days with at least three people collecting each day (09:00 to 16:00 h). Different sampling techniques (direct and indirect) were applied: by hand, sweep net and light traps. Cerambycid beetles were identified to species level with specialised literature (Chemsak 1991, Chemsak and Linsley 1965, Chemsak and Noguera 2005, Giesbert and Chemsak 1989, Giesbert and Chemsak 1993, Grzymala and Miller 2013, Linsley 1963, Linsley 1964, Linsley and Chemsak 1972, Noguera 2002, Santos-Silva 2007, Santos-Silva et al. 2016, Turnbow and Thomas 2002) and by comparison with identified specimens from the National Collection of Insects of the Biology Institute, UNAM. All specimens were deposited in the Insect Collection of the Zoological Museum “Alfonso L. Herrera” of the Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. The National Collection of Insects (CNIN) was revised and all the records belonging with CCB were included (Suppl. material 1).

As this study is the first species list of Cerambycidae fauna in a Mexican desert environment, it greatly increases the knowledge of this group in Mexico. We recorded 37 species from 32 genera and identified 13 tribes from four subfamilies (Prioninae, Lepturinae, Cerambycinae and Lamiinae) Table 1. The subfamily Cerambycinae had the greatest number of species at 31 (84% of the total). The other subfamilies only registered two species each. This revealed a pattern similar to that of other habitats such as tropical dry forest (e.g. Toledo et al. 2002, Noguera et al. 2012), but in this case, the results were even more pronounced.

Despite the fact that Mexico has extensive area of deserts, faunistic studies relating to Cerambycidae have previously not been conducted in this or similar xerophilous habitats. In Mexico, the family Cerambycidae has been studied mainly in tropical dry forest (e.g. Chemsak and Noguera 1993, Noguera et al. 2012). Only sporadic records from desertic areas have been reported (Bezark 2020).

MacKay et al. (1987) recorded 44 species from the northern region of the Chihuahuan desert near Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA. Compared to our study, they obtained the same species distribution in subfamilies. Cerambycinae were extremely abundant, followed by Prioninae and Lamiinae, both being well represented. Only one species of Lepturinae was recorded. MacKay et al. (1987) argue that Lepturinae species depend on moisture for development, hence their species richness in arid environments is poor. On the another hand, Cerambycinae presents the greatest number of genera with diurnal habits (Linsley 1959). In the case of CCB, the genera of Cerambycinae were more common in daytime activity. This is presumably due to different types of adult feeding which is anthophilous in several genera of Cerambycinae (Švácha and Lawrence 2014).

Of the species recorded in this study, Meloemorpha aliena (Bates), Knulliana cincta cincta (Drury), Megacyllene antennata (White), Aneflomorpha rectilinea rectilinea Casey, Anopliomorpha rinconia (Casey), Neaneflus brevispinus Chemsak, Haplidus laticeps Knull, Methia mormona Linell, Rhopalophora angustata Schaeffer, Euderces basimaculatus Giesbert & Chemsak, Crossidius suturalis suturalis LeConte, Plionoma suturalis (LeConte) and Stenaspis solitaria (Say) are new records for the state of Coahuila. Typocerus sinuatus (Newman), Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (Fabricius) and Aneflomorpha werneri Chemsak are reported for the first time in Mexico. These three species have been previously recorded in the southern United States (Texas).

Possibly due in part to extensive collecting efforts, the states of Veracruz (406), Oaxaca (343), Jalisco (327) and Chiapas (315) (Noguera 2014) have the highest species records of Cerambycidae (numbers in parenthesis indicate the numbers of species recorded from the corresponding state). Noguera (2014) indicates the species richness from Coahuila at 24 species. Nevertheless, Bezark (2020) in the electronic catalogue of Cerambycidae recorded 43 species from Coahuila. Our work represents a considerable contribution and updated inventory of Mexican Cerambycidae in the Coahuila region. It presents new distributional records that represent a 41% increase in species richness. It is clear that it is necessary to continue exploring more regions of Mexico and publishing updated Cerambycidae distribution data to complete our knowledge, not only of desert environments, but also of other Mexican ecosystems present in the country.

The distribution of species that were recorded in CCB shows a mixture between cerambycid species with distributional records in United States and Mexico (Bezark 2020). Many of these species have diurnal habits and an affinity for desert environments. This is useful for understanding the distributional patterns and evolutionary history of cerambycid beetles. The ecological factors and historical events from the Altiplano Mexicano are relevant for determining the geographic distribution of insect species from CCB (Álvarez and Ojeda 2019). Additionally, the presence of host plants in these desert ecosystems is fundamental to their existence in these environments (Pinkava 2016).

The CCB is a unique region with different components from Neotropical and Nearctic biogeographic provinces. This makes it an essential crossroads to understand the evolution of several faunal groups (Álvarez and Ojeda 2019). This work represents the first species list of Cerambycidae in a Mexican desert (CCB, Chihuahuan desert) and Coahuila. Cerambycids provide important ecological services for desert ecosystems. They act as pollinators (MacKay et al. 1987), active agents of decomposition and recyclers of organic matter. As ecosystem agents, these beetles are indispensable for the health and permanency of CCB environments.