Hide-and-Seek with Tiny Neotenic Beetles in One of the Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots: Towards an Understanding of the Real Diversity of Jurasaidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Jurasaidae are a family of neotenic elateroid beetles which was described recently from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot based on three species in two genera. All life stages live in the soil, including the larviform females, and only adult males are able to fly. Here, we report the discovery of two new species, Jurasai miraculum sp. nov. and J. vanini sp. nov., and a new, morphologically remarkable population of J. digitusdei Rosa et al., 2020. Our discovery sheds further light on the diversity and biogeography of the group. Most species of Jurasaidae are known from the rainforest remnants of the Atlantic Forest, but here for the first time we report a jurasaid species from the relatively drier Atlantic Forest/Caatinga transitional zone. Considering our recent findings, minute body size and cryptic lifestyle of all jurasaids, together with potentially high numbers of yet undescribed species of this family from the Atlantic Forest and possibly also other surrounding ecoregions, we call for both field research in potentially suitable localities as well as for a detailed investigation of a massive amount of already collected but still unprocessed materials deposited in a number of Brazilian institutes, laboratories and collections.

When a key innovation becomes redundant: Patterns, drivers and consequences of elytral reduction in Coleoptera

“…Adult males of Tujamita Rosa et al have the elytra slightly shorter or as long as the abdomen, while those of Jurasai Rosa et al have the elytra shorter than the abdomen, with median edges separated and apically diverging. In both genera, adult males have well‐developed hind wings which are longer than the elytra (Biffi et al, 2021; Rosa et al, 2020). Females are almost completely larviform and lack both elytra and hind wings.…”

Haplocauda, a New Genus of Fireflies Endemic to the Amazon Rainforest (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

“…For example, a whole new family of beetles-Jurasaidae, elateroid beetles that convergently evolved soft-bodied morphology, and larviform females-was recently described from the Atlantic Rainforest [33]. New jurasaid species continue to be described, both fresh and museum specimens alike [34,35]. The recent finding of Jurasaids illustrates how much is yet to be discovered in South America.…”

A new species of Petalacmis firefly from Bolivia, with a key to species (Coleoptera, Lampyridae)

“…), and even basic aspects of its morphology are lacking due to the rarity of specimens available for dissection. In fact, this genus is only known from male specimens, a widespread phenomenon in lampyrids ( Silveira and Mermudes 2013 , 2014 ; Ferreira et al 2019 , 2020 ; Bocakova et al 2022 ) and in elateroids as a whole (e.g., Bocak et al 2016 ; Biffi et al 2021 ). Therefore, detailed studies on the diversity of Petalacmis species are greatly needed in order to produce a more comprehensive understanding of the family Lampyridae , particularly in the tribe Lampyrini .…”