Found a new species of beetle in the deepest abyss … – RTVE

VICKY BOLAÑOS

Two researchers from Spanish universities have described a new species of beetle that lives in the deepest cave in the world . The insect has been baptized Duvalius abyssimus and have it located in the cave of Krubera-Voronia, in the western part of Georgia, bordered by the Black Sea.

The study of this new species was published in the journal Zootaxa, and is signed by the researcher at the Universities of Aveiro and La Laguna, Portuguese Ana Sofia Reboleira and zoologist at the University of Alcalá, M. Vicente Ortuño .

As explained to RTVE.es Vicente M. Ortuño, specializing in underground Biology, continually finds new insects in these habitats (called hypogea, ie passages underground) and recently in the depths of the Sierra de Guadarrama or the Moncayo.

Voronia, habitat complicated access

However, this finding Concrete is striking since it has been found in a cave whose entrance features enormous difficulty . Voronia, located in the mountains of Arabica, this is a chasm vertically to a depth of 2140 meters .

Also, in this part of the Caucasus converge Asian and European tectonic plates and has great biogeographical interest , as indicated Ortuño.

has also told the investigating Ana Sofia Reboleira and another colleague were those who made the collections of material, both inside and outside the cave, located 15 kilometers from the sea.

The newly discovered beetle

As collects Sync, researchers have only two copies of Duvalius abyssimus , a male and a female, collected in the cave but “not located in the final meters.”

Gender Duvalius is a successful colonization of terrestrial depths. Most species have a life style and hipogeo live in caves or in the shallow subsurface environment .

“The characteristics of the new species is indicated by average degree of adaptation to life underground . Proof of this is that it still has eyes that are absent in the highly specialized cave species, “added the researcher.

underground

The Scientist University of Alcalá, who practiced biospeleology , commented that specializes in this insect group, which has spent the last ten years of his career.

“Exploring the subsurface environment means must move in a hostile environment , like in the mountains or on the seabed.’s not the natural environment of humans, so it requires break fears, “stated .

So, aphotic media works, which does not get a hint of sunlight. “It’s an absolute darkness , and under these conditions seek such small animals is difficult, since they live in small cracks and crevices and you have them out. We use small baits and traps that leave a more accessible place and return to pick them, “he explained.