Assessing Conservation Priorities for Insects: Status of Diving Beetles (Coleoptera) in Peru

ABSTRACT

The aquatic coleopteran diversity in Peru is among the highest in South America. However, there is little information on the composition and distribution of Peruvian Dytiscidae, as well as on their habitats, some of which urgently require conservation action. In the present study, all available taxonomic and distributional data on Dytiscidae species in Peru were compiled. For that reason, the DY PE database ( DY tiscids of PE ru) was created, incorporating data from an extensive literature review, online databases, examinations of entomological collections, and field sampling conducted between 2016 and 2024. Beta diversity patterns were also analysed for each administrative department, along with the altitudinal gradient. The database contains a total of 295 records for 109 species. Of the reported species, 41 are endemic, the majority of which belong to the genus Liodessus Guignot (29%). Liodessus riveti (Peschet 1923), Laccomimus youngi Toledo and Michat 2015, Copelatus posticatus (Fabricius 1801), Lancetes borellii Griffini 1895, Trifurcitus aubei (Wilke 1920), Thermonectus circumscriptus (Latreille 1809), T. nobilis Zimmermann 1924 and T. variegatus (Laporte, 1835) are reported for the first time in Peru. The highest species richness was found in the departments of Huánuco and Madre de Dios, while the lowest was observed along the Pacific coastal region. In general, community structuring is specific to each department, but they tend to cluster into two main areas (the jungle and the Andes). The highest species richness was found in lowland areas between 0 and 500 m.a.s.l. Most endemic species (76.2%) were located outside the national system of protected areas. The current distribution and composition of Dytiscidae biota highlight the need for continued surveys, particularly in underexplored regions.