In the San Fernando National Reserve, Ica region (Peru), an international team of researchers identified a new beetle species named Trigonogenius jocelynae, popularly known as the “spider beetle.”
The discovery, published in the journal The Coleopterists Bulletin, constitutes the first record of this genus in South American coastal hills, reinforcing the importance of conserving these unique ecosystems where desert, cliffs, and marine-coastal environments converge.
The study was led by T. Keith Philips, Jacob G. Bowen, and Kyle A. Whorrall from the Systematics and Evolution Laboratory at Western Kentucky University and the University of Auckland. The collection was carried out in 2019 in coastal hills, environments that depend on the humidity of the Pacific fog and maintain a close interaction with arid zones.
Characteristics of the new species
The genus Trigonogenius groups small globose beetles adapted to arid environments. The newly described species is distinguished by:
- Very marked longitudinal grooves on the pronotum.
- Defined patterns on the elytra.
- Morphological differences compared to other species recorded in Peru.
This finding expands the knowledge about the diversity and distribution of “spider beetles” in South America.
Value for conservation
The executive president of Sernanp, José Carlos Nieto Navarrete, emphasized that the San Fernando National Reserve is consolidated as a strategic space for the conservation of coastal and desert ecosystems. He stressed the need to continue with biological inventories and scientific studies that allow valuing and protecting Peru’s natural wealth.
The publication in a specialized international journal supports the significance of the discovery and positions the Ica region as a reference for the analysis of biodiversity in marine-coastal environments.
Hidden biodiversity: recent findings in Peru
The case of the “spider” beetle adds to a series of discoveries made in 2025 in protected natural areas of the country:
- Pleurothallis machupicchuensis, a new orchid in the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
- Tachymenoides goodallae, a snake in the central Andes.
- Incanomys mayopuma, a semi-aquatic rodent in the forests of Machu Picchu.
- Marmosa chachapoya, a marsupial in the Río Abiseo National Park.
- In the Amazon, new species of frogs, plants, and insects, such as the beetle Konradus trescrucensis in the Manu National Park.
These records increase the national biological inventory and provide information on the adaptation of species to Andean and Amazonian ecosystems.
The discovery of Trigonogenius jocelynae in Ica highlights the strategic role of protected natural areas in the conservation and study of Peruvian biodiversity. The identification of new species not only expands scientific knowledge but also reinforces the urgency of protecting fragile habitats where life still holds secrets.
