Entomologists discover new Parastethorus pinicola at Kyushu University Hakozaki campus
Technology
Entomologists have discovered a brand-new beetle species called Parastethorus pinicola, right on Kyushu University's Hakozaki Satellite campus.
This little insect is only about one millimeter long and belongs to a group of ladybird beetles that are super tough to tell apart: even experts need microscopes!
The find is part of the first big review of these beetles in Japan in over 50 years.
Scientists find Hokkaido species, correct misidentification
Along with this discovery, scientists also found another new species in Hokkaido and cleared up a case of mistaken identity with a similar beetle from other parts of Asia.
These updates help researchers get the facts straight about Japan's biodiversity, which is important for conservation work and understanding how local ecosystems really function.