Diversity and Morphology of Beetles: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives

A Special Issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 3635

Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: diversity and faunistics of hypogean and soil-dwelling invertebrates; morphology, systematics, taxonomy, phylogeny, development and ecology of Coleoptera; photonic structures in insects; secretion in ground beetles; antimicrobial action of the pygidial gland secretions of ground beetles
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Guest Editor
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: morpho-anatomy, taxonomy and chemical ecology of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae); diversity and faunistics of soil-dwelling and cavernicolous beetles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With around 400,000 species, beetles (Coleoptera) are the most species-rich order of living organisms on our planet. On the other hand, this large and diverse group of insects is still insufficiently researched. The incredible diversity of beetles is due to a combination of factors, including a long evolutionary history, the ability to adapt to different niches, co-evolution with angiosperms and the presence of protective forewings called elytra. These features have enabled them to diversify extensively and dominate the insect world. Beetles are increasingly used as model organisms in scientific research, especially in biomedicine and environmental studies. In addition, their unique traits make them suitable for biomimicry research, particularly in the development of lightweight structures and energy absorption. As the diversity of beetles has not yet been comprehensively studied on a global scale and most previous research has focused primarily on faunal diversity, it is desirable to explore other dimensions of diversity within this insect group, including morphological, molecular, ecological, chemoecological, chemotaxonomic, and behavioural aspects. Although the main expertise of the Guest Editors lies in terrestrial beetles (epigean, endogean and troglobitic forms), studies on aquatic beetles are also welcome, encompassing representatives of the two major beetle suborders (Adephaga and Polyphaga). The Special Issue is dedicated to research on the diversity and morphology of all these groups. We hope that this Special Issue will enhance our understanding of the diversity of beetles across various biological disciplines, indicating their great ecological importance in their habitats and their general relevance to humans.

Prof. Dr. Srećko B. Ćurčić
Dr. Nikola Vesović
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Coleopterans
  • Adephaga
  • Polyphaga
  • epigean and endogean fauna
  • troglobites
  • biodiversity
  • morphology
  • endemism

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 9615 KB  
Article
Scanning Electron Microscopy Characterization of the Antenna in Males of Mesomorphus villiger (Blanchard, 1853) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
by Meenakshi Bharti, Shweta Sharma, Teresa Bonacci, Himender Bharti and Marco Pezzi
Diversity 2026, 18(8), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18080475 - 6 Aug 2026
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Abstract
The tobacco ground beetle, Mesomorphus villiger (Blanchard, 1853) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is a widely distributed species across Asia, Africa, and Australia, recognized for its economic importance as a pest of tobacco seedlings and other crops in India. Despite its pest status and characteristic aggregation [...] Read more.
The tobacco ground beetle, Mesomorphus villiger (Blanchard, 1853) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is a widely distributed species across Asia, Africa, and Australia, recognized for its economic importance as a pest of tobacco seedlings and other crops in India. Despite its pest status and characteristic aggregation behavior, information on its antennae and antennal sensory structures remains limited. In this study, the morphology of the antennae and the types and distribution of antennal sensilla in M. villiger males were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The antennae had 11 segments, including a scape, a pedicel, and a flagellum, with the last three flagellomeres forming a club. Six types of sensilla were identified: Böhm’s bristles, sensilla chaetica (two subtypes), sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica (three subtypes), sensilla auricillica (two subtypes) and grooved peg sensilla. The structural characteristics and distributional patterns of the sensilla suggest functional specializations for olfactory, mechanoreceptive, and chemioreceptive roles. Sensilla diversity progressively increased from proximal to distal antennal regions, with the highest number of types observed on the club. This study provides the first comprehensive ultrastructural description of the antennae and antennal sensilla in M. villiger males, establishing a morphological foundation for future electrophysiological and behavioral investigations to be extended to females and supporting the development of innovative management strategies for this species. Full article
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19 pages, 10928 KB  
Article
The Diversity of Chemicals of the Defensive Secretions of Five Pterostichine Ground Beetle Species (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and the Morphology of Their Pygidial Glands
by Sofija Vranić, Ljubodrag Vujisić, Nikola Vesović, Marina Todosijević, Danica Pavlović and Srećko Ćurčić
Diversity 2026, 18(2), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18020112 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1252
Abstract
The defensive substances of ground beetles are synthesised and stored in a pair of defensive glands, commonly referred to as abdominal or pygidial glands. The chemical composition of the pygidial gland secretions and the morphology of the glands were studied in adults of [...] Read more.
The defensive substances of ground beetles are synthesised and stored in a pair of defensive glands, commonly referred to as abdominal or pygidial glands. The chemical composition of the pygidial gland secretions and the morphology of the glands were studied in adults of four species belonging to the tribe Pterostichini: Poecilus cupreus Linnaeus, 1758, Pterostichus melanarius Illiger, 1798, P. anthracinus Illiger, 1798, and Stomis pumicatus Panzer, 1796. In addition, Tapinopterus cognatus (Dejean, 1831) was examined only with regard to the chemistry of its secretion. The pygidial gland secretions of the five species were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The combined presence of methacrylic acid and tiglic acid was observed in all taxa studied. 2-Tridecanone, which was detected in all species except P. cupreus, is reported for the first time in the defensive secretions of representatives of Pterostichini. The pygidial glands of the first four species were examined using both bright-field microscopy (BFM) and nonlinear microscopy (NLM). The examined species were similar in the general appearance of the glands, with the greatest differences observed in S. pumicatus. Full article
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