Entomologists Dr Renzo Perissinotto from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and Dr Philippe Moretto from France have described two new species of flightless scarab beetles in the ancient genus Gyronotus.

Scarab beetles were sacred in the ancient Egypt. They symbolized hope and the restoration of life. Amulets and stamp seals were often depicted with the scarab beetle.

The discovery of two new species, named Gyronotus perissinottoi and Gyronotus schuelei, brings the number of beetles in this genus to 8.

Gyronotus beetles are regarded among the most endangered of the African scarab beetles because of their sensitivity to disturbance.

“The genus Gyronotus is part of the tribe Canthonini, which has long been recognized as a relict of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Members of the genus are also wingless and particularly vulnerable to environmental disturbance,” Dr Moretto and Dr Perissinotto said.

Gyronotus perissinottoi and Gyronotus schuelei dwell in grasslands and savannas, while most of the other known species in the genus exhibit a preference for forest habitats.

Gyronotus perissinottoi occurs in a small but unique area in the beautiful Umthamvuna Nature Reserve, South Africa. This species measures about 1.70 cm in length and has convex and rounded body shining bronze with metallic reflections.

Gyronotus schuelei originates from western Swaziland and is currently known only from two specimens. The species is about 1.40 cm long and has moderately convex, very dark brown body.

Apart from these species, other Gyronotus beetles are linked to coastal and low-lying forest habitats, which have undergone massive transformation during the past 50 years, through clearance, degradation and fragmentation.

“They are undoubtedly of substantial biodiversity and conservation value, with status ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered,” said Dr Moretto and Dr Perissinotto, co-authors of the paper describing the new species in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

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Bibliographic information: Moretto P, Perissinotto R. 2013. Description and ecology of two new species of Gyronotus van Lansberge, 1874 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from southern Africa. ZooKeys 344: 73–82; doi: 10.3897/zookeys.344.6101