Meru (genus)

Meru (genus)
Meruidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Adephaga
Family: Meruidae
Genus: Meru
Species: M. phyllisae
Binomial name
Meru phyllisae
Spangler & Steiner, 2005

Meruidae is a recently described family of aquatic beetles in the suborder Adephaga[1], with only one genus and species, Meru phyllisae. This beetle appears to have disappeared after being found in large numbers in the early 1980s.[2] At 0.8 mm, it is one of the smallest beetles in the world.

Etymology

The name Meruidae comes from the local Pemon people word for waterfall, meru. The beetle was given this name because it can being only found in cascading water.[3]

Distribution

Meru phyllisae is only known from the natural cascading waterfalls in El Tobogán, Las Amazonas, Venezuela. Although it is remote location that is strongly protected, Venezuelan tourists visit the place because of its uniqueness, causing habitat degradation.[2]

References

  1. ^ Steiner, Warren. 2005. Meruidae. Version 01 January 2005 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Meruidae/29297/2005.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
  2. ^ a b Paul J. Spangler, Warren E. Steiner JR (2005) A new aquatic beetle family, Meruidae, from Venezuela (Coleoptera: Adephaga) Systematic Entomology 30 (3), 339–357
  3. ^ http://courses.cit.cornell.edu/icb344/abstracts/Meruidae.htm
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