By Bernama,
Bangkok : The discovery of three unidentified new species of snout beetles in Thailand’s tropical forests’, is an indication of the biodiversity still to be discovered in the country’s woodlands, a group of Thai entomologists announced.
New to the world’s record of beetle species, the three newly discovered were named Articerodes thailandicus, Articerodes ohmumoi and Articerodes jariyae.
The first was named in honour of Thailand, the second recognising a distinguished entomologist from Japan and the third to grant historical honour to Khao Khitchakut, Chanthaburi province — the only habitat to shelter these species of snout beetle.
An entomologist at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Wattana Sukchoowong revealed that the three species were confirmed by Japanese specialists to be the three newest of the 105 specimens recently identified.
Quoting Wattana, the Thailand news agency reported that the three new species were a good indication of the areas’ biodiversity.
Red brown with the size of merely 1. 2 millimetres with 4 cylindrical antenna, the three newly discovered bugs can be found at Khao Ang Rue Nai wildlife sanctuary in the eastern Chachoengsao province, Khao Soi Dao wildlife sanctuary and Khao Khitchakut national park in eastern Chanthaburi province.
The Thai entomologist revealed though not being threatened as just yet, the new species might face extinction if the locale’s ecosystem were made unbalanced, especially by climate change.