Cave-adapted beetles from continental Portugal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The cave biodiversity of continental Portugal faces tremendous conservation challenges, mostly linked to their direct destruction and contamination infiltrating from the surface. Beetles are the most diverse insects and one of the most diverse arthropod groups in caves of Portugal.

New information

We present the IUCN Red List profiles for the cave-adapted beetles from continental Portugal, all endemic to their respective geological units and massifs. Ground beetles (Carabidae) are the most diverse family of cave-adapted beetles in continental Portugal, followed by rove beetles (Staphylinidae). Beetles in caves of Portugal are mostly terrestrial and only one species is known to have evolved to live in groundwater. Trechus is the most diverse genus with four

SUBMITTER: Reboleira ASPS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8397697 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature