New Beetle Species Found in Deepest Known Cave

There's a new beetle in town, and its name is Duvalius Abyssimus, a resident in good standing of the planet's deepest known cave.

Researchers from two universities in Spain announced in the journal Zootaxa that they had collected two specimens -- a male and a female -- of the new beetle living deep in Krubera cave, in Russia's Western Caucasus.

The Krubera is deeper than any cave we know about, spanning more than 7,000 feet between its entrance and its deepest known point. Just reaching its greatest explored depth requires diving skills to get past flooded underground chambers.

As for the new beetle, it's certainly in the right family tree for cave-dwelling. Most species in its Duvalius genus are experienced in the subterranean ways.

But this newest genus member doesn't have all of the accouterments of the super-serious grotto resident. That's because it has something many highly specialized deep-cave dwellers don't: eyes.

The new species was found by researchers Ana Sofía Reboleira, from the Universities of Aveiro and La Laguna, and Vicente M. Ortuño, from the University of Alcalá.

"The discovery of the new beetle provides important data on species that co-exist in these almost unknown ecosystems, even more so when they are found in a geographical area that is very difficult to access," said Ortuño. "Such is the case with this cave."

From Discovery News