New records of Coleoptera (Insecta) from Kamchatka Krai and other regions of the Russian Far East

Introduction

The third volume of the “Annotated Catalogue of the insects of the Russian Far East”, dedicated to beetles (Coleoptera), was published in 2025. The catalog includes data on 6,291 beetle species belonging to 1,826 genera and 114 families. In total, 852 species are known from Kamchatka (Sundukov 2025), with more than 100 species recorded from the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve (Ruchin and Esin 2025). This article provides new records of beetles from five families previously non recorded from Kamchatka Krai.

Materials and methods

Field researches were conducted in 2025 across three municipal districts of Kamchatka Krai: Karaginsky (V.A. Netsvetaev), Ust-Bolsheretsky and Elizovsky (A.B. Ruchin, M.N. Esin), mostly on the territory of South Kamchatka federal sanctuary named after T.I. Shpilenok (South Kamchatka refuge) (Figure 1).

Material was collected using standard techniques (Golub et al. 2021). Aquatic beetles were collected using water hand net, terrestrial with soil pitfall, Merike (pan), Malaise, and fermental beer traps (Figure 2).

The nomenclature and species distribution in Russian Far East provided according to Annotated Catalogue of the Insects of the Russian Far East (Kirejtshuk 2025; Prokin and Petrov 2025; Prokin and Ryndevich 2025; Sergeev 2025; Zinchenko 2025), and for firstly recorded in Russian Far East Ilybius subaeneus Erichson, 1837 according to Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera (Hájek 2017).

To verify the identifications, specimens listed herein were compared with material from the following collections:

• IBIW – Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Russia;
• ZISP – Zoological Institute Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia;
• ZMMU – Zoological Museum, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

Results

An annotated list of beetle species new to the Kamchatka Peninsula is provided, based on the original data. Little-known species previously recorded in Kamchatka Krai are marked with an asterisk (*).

Figure 1. Map of the Far East and adjacent territories of Russia. 1–11 – the Russian Far East: 1 – Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, 2 – Magadan Oblast; 3 – Kamchatka Krai; 4, 5 – Khabarovsk Krai: 4 – north of the Tugur River (northern part), 5 – south of the Tugur River (southern part); 6 – Jewish Autonomous Oblast; 7 – Amur Oblast; 8, 9 – Primorsky Krai: 8 – north of the line between Lake Malaya Khanka–Rudnaya Pristan (northern part), 9 – south of the aforementioned line (southern part); 10 – Sakhalin Island; 11 – Kuril Islands: Northern – Shumshu, Paramushir and adjacent small islands, Central – from Onekotan to Urup, Southern – south of Urup. Red circles – main sampling locations: A – Karaginsky District, B – South Kamchatka refuge.

Figure 2. The main landscapes of the study area and some types of traps used for sampling: A – lake in the floodplain of Pylyunavayam River; B – lake in the floodplain of Gachyngvalovayam River; C – floodplain meadow, South Kamchatka refuge (cordon Travyanoy); D – mixed-grass meadow, South Kamchatka refuge (cordon Travyanoy); E – a glade, South Kamchatka refuge (cordon Ozernyi); F – pitfall trap; G – fermental beer trap; H – Merike traps.

Family DYTISCIDAE Leach, 1815

Ilybius subaeneus Erichson, 1837

Material. Karaginsky Distr., 11 km S of the mouth of Ken’guvayam River, 60°32'19.9"N 163°08'45.5"E, lakelet, 26.07.2025 V.A. Netsvetaev, 2 exs.

Remarks. The first record from the Russian Far East. This Holarctic species is not listed in the Annotated catalogue (Prokin and Petrov 2025), but known from eastern Siberia (Hájek 2017).

Hydroporus sibiricus J.R. Sahlberg, 1880

Material. Karaginsky Distr., 11 km S of the mouth of Ken’guvayam River, 60°32'19.9"N 163°08'45.5"E, lakelet, 26.07.2025 V.A. Netsvetaev, 1 ex.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Magadan Oblast (Prokin and Petrov 2025).

Hygrotus (Leptolambus) novemlineatus (Stephens, 1829)

Material. Karaginsky Distr., 14 km N of the mouth of Gachyngvalovayam River, 60°09'51.1"N 163°22'32.4"E, lake, 24.07.2025 V.A. Netsvetaev, 2 exs.; Karaginsky Distr., 14 km E of the mouth of Pylyunavayam River, 60°28'16.5"N 163°28'46.7"E, lake, 01.08.2025 V.A. Netsvetaev, 3 exs.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Magadan Oblast (Prokin and Petrov 2025).

Family HYDROPHILIDAE Latreille, 1802

Cercyon (Cercyon) borealis Baranowski, 1985 Figs 3A–C, 4A–F, 5A–G

Paratype. [Sweden] Dlr., [Dalarna] Nås, Gräsbgt. [Gräsberget], 10.7.1981, B. Ehnström, 1♀ (ZMMU).

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, near cordon Ozernyi, 51°29'01.7"N 157°02'01.7"E, pitfall traps, 29.07–10.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1♀. Additional material. Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Dechun, Amur River, near Radde vill., 130°45'E, 15.08.1978 Kurbatov leg., 1♀, Cercyon borealis det. Shatrovskiy, 1988 (ZMMU); Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, floodplain of the Zabolochennaya River (44°31'57.0"N 136°12'06.5"E), 11.07.2018, M.E. Sergeev, 1♂, Cercyon terminatus det. Prokin, 2021 (IBIW); floodplain of the Rezvushka River (45°32'27.6"N 136°09'57.6"E), 28.05.2020, M.E. Sergeev, 1♂1♀, Cercyon terminatus det. Prokin, 2021 (IBIW); stream in valley of the Kolumbe River (45°19'56.6"N 136°08'11.4"E), 18.06.2015, M.E. Sergeev, 2♂♂1♀, Cercyon terminatus det. Prokin, 2021 (IBIW).

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka and Jewish Autonomous Oblast. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Amur Oblast and southern part of Primorsky Krai (Prokin and Ryndevich 2025).

Family LEIODIDAE Fleming, 1821

Leiodes fracta (Seidliz, 1874)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Ozernyi, 51°29'00.2"N 157°01'50.2"E, pitfall traps, 11–29.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.; 51°28'51.6"N 157°02'11.0"E, pitfall traps, 11–29.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from south of Primorsky Krai (Zinchenko 2025).

Leiodes obesa (W.L.E. Schmidt, 1841)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Ozernyi, 51°28'52.3"N 157°02'13.6"E, glade, yellow pan traps, 26–28.07.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.; 51°28'56.3"N 157°02'17.2"E, glade, yellow pan traps, 28–31.07.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.; 51°28'51.6"N 157°02'11.0"E, pitfall traps 29.08–30.09.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.; 51°28'51.6"N 157°02'11.0"E, pitfall traps, 11–29.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.; 51°29'00.2"N 157°01'50.2"E, pitfall traps, 29.07–11.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 3 exs.; Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Travyanoy, 51°25'09.8"N 157°02'51.0"E, pitfall traps, 30.07–11.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Primorsky Krai and Kunashir Island (Zinchenko 2025).

Leiodes silesiaca (Kraatz, 1852)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Ozernyi, 51°29'00.2"N 157°01'50.2"E, pitfall traps, 11–29.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.

The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Primorsky Krai (Zinchenko 2025).

*Leiodes shigehisai Hoshina, 2012

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, near cordon Ozernyi, 51°29'01.7"N 157°02'01.7"E, pitfall traps, 29.08–30.09.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 3 exs.

Remarks. The second record from Russia and Kamchatka. This species was described from Hokkaido, Japan (Hoshina 2012), and recorded from Kamchatka, Kronotsky Nature Reserve (Sazhnev 2025), but overlooked in the Annotated catalogue (Zinchenko 2025).

Leiodes rhaetica (Erichson, 1845)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Travyanoy, 51°25'09.8"N 157°02'51.0"E, pitfall traps, 11–29.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.; 51°25'09.8"N 157°02'51.7"E, Malaise trap, 29.08–06.09.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.

Remarks. The first record from mainland Russia and Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Atlasov Island (Northern Kurils) (Zinchenko 2025).

Family NITIDULIDAE Latreille, 1802

Epuraea (Epuraea) biguttata (Thunberg 1784)

Material. Elizovsky Distr., 4 km SW of Nikolaevka vill., 53°01'05.5"N 158°16'27.8"E beer trap, 02–13.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.: Elizovsky Distr., 1 km S of Elizovo, 53°08'13.9"N 158°20'48.5"E, beer trap, 02–13.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 3 exs.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Amur Oblast, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai, and Kunashir Island (Kirejtshuk 2025).

Cychramus luteus (Fabricius, 1787)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsk Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, cordon Travyanoy, 51°25'09.8"N 157°02'51.7"E, Malaise trap, 29.08–06.08.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Amur Oblast, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin and Kunashir Islands (Kirejtshuk 2025).

Cychramus variegatus (Herbst, 1792)

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsky Distr., South Kamchatka refuge, 3 km NW of cordon Ozernyi, 51°29'42.7"N 157°00'02.9"E, beer trap, 07–11.08.2025, M.N. Esin, 1 ex.; 51°28'53.8"N 157°02'12.1"E, beer trap, 26–30.07.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 1 ex.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Amur Oblast, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai and Kunashir Island (Kirejtshuk 2025).

Family SCRAPTIIDAE Gistel, 1848

Anaspis (Anaspis) arctica Zettersted, 1828

Material. Ust-Bolsheretsk Distr., 23 km NE of Apacha, 53°01'53.4"N 157°19'20.2"E, beer trap on birch, 25–31.07.2025 A.B. Ruchin, 2 exs.

Remarks. The first record from Kamchatka. This species was known in the Russian Far East from Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin Island (Sergeev 2025).

Taxonomy notes

Before studying the type and additional material previously we mixed two species Cercyon borealis Baranowski, 1985 (see above) and C. emarginatus Baranowski, 1985, both collected in Primorsky Krai, under the name C. terminatus (Marsham, 1802). As a result, we erroneously established synonymy C. emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 with C. terminatus (Marsham, 1802) (Sazhnev et al. 2021).

The comparison of the specimen of C. emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 from Primorsky Krai with specimens of this species from Sweden, and specimens of C. terminatus (Marsham, 1802) (Figs 3F, 4K–M, 5P–W) confirmed the species rank of C. emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 according differential characters, listed in the original description (Baranowski 1985).

Cercyon (Cercyon) emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 stat. rev.

Figs 3D–E, 4G–J, 5H–O

Material. Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, stream in valley of the Kolumbe River (45°19'56.6"N 136°08'11.4"E), 18.06.2015, M.E. Sergeev, 1♂ (IBIW). The first record from the Russian Far East!

Additional material studied. [Sweden] Dlr., [Dalarna] Nås, Gräsbgt. [Gräsberget], 18.8.1983, B. Ehnström, 2♀♀, [Cercyon] emarginatus det. R. Baranowski, 1983; [Sweden] Dlr., [Dalarna] Nås, Fleu, 05.11.1983, B. Ehnström, 1♂, [Cercyon] emarginatus det. R. Baranowski, 1983 (ZMMU).

Discussion

The species Ilybius subaeneus Erichson, 1837 and Hydroporus sibiricus J.R. Sahlberg, 1880, both new for Kamchatka, were collected together with Agabus arcticus ochoticus Poppius, 1908 in small lakelet near Ken’guvayam River. The third new dytiscid Hygrotus novemlineatus (Stephens, 1829) was a single species collected in lake near Gachyngvalovayam River, and in lake near Pylyunavayam River it was collected together with Hydroporus nigellus Mannerheim, 1853.

Figure 3. Cercyon spp., dorsal habitus: A–C – Cercyon borealis Baranowski, 1985 (A – Russia: Kamchatka Krai, South Kamchatka refuge; B – paratype, Sweden, ZMMU; C – Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, Kolumbe River, IBIW); D–E – Cercyon emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 (D – Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, IBIW; E – Sweden, ZMMU); F – Cercyon terminatus (Marsham, 1802) (Georgia: Borjomi, ZISP).

Figure 4. Cercyon spp., detail of morphology. A–F – Cercyon borealis Baranowski, 1985 (A–B – paratype, Sweden, ZMMU; C–D – Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, Kolumbe River, IBIW; E–F – Russia: Kamchatka Krai, South Kamchatka refuge); G–J – Cercyon emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 (G–H – Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, IBIW; I–J – Sweden, ZMMU); K–M – Cercyon terminatus (Marsham, 1802) (K – Uzbekistan: Tashkent, ZISP; L–M – Georgia: Borjomi, ZISP). A, C, E, G, I, K, L – clypeus, B, D, F, H, J, M – ventral view of pterothorax.

In addition to regionally new and listed above, the following species of dytiscids were collected in the Karaginsky District 23.07–03.08.2025: Hydroporus fuscipennis Schaum in Schaum & Kiesenwetter, 1867, H. morio Aubé, 1838, H. umbrosus (Gyllenhal, 1808), Agabus discolor (Harris, 1828), A. clypealis (Thomson, 1867), A. coxalis ermaki (Zaitzev, 1953), Ilybius angustior (Gyllenhal, 1808), Colymbetes dolabratus (Paykull, 1798), Rhantus suturellus (Harris, 1828), and Dytiscus sp. (larva). Thus, the detected local dytiscid fauna of the Karaginsky District represented mostly by the species with circumpolar Holarctic ranges, in two cases with eastern Palaearctic subspecies (A. arcticus ochoticus, A. coxalis ermaki), and some arcto-boreal Palaearctic (H. novemlineatus), amphi-Pacific (H. sibiricus), and temperate Transpalaearctic (H. umbrosus) elements.

Figure 5. Cercyon spp., male genitalia: A–G – Cercyon borealis Baranowski, 1985 (Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, Rezvushka River (A), Kolumbe River (B–D, F, G), Zabolochennaya River (E), IBIW); H–O – Cercyon emarginatus Baranowski, 1985 (H–L – Russia: Primorsky Krai, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, IBIW; M–O – Sweden, ZMMU); P–W – Cercyon terminatus (Marsham, 1802) (P–T – Uzbekistan: Tashkent, ZISP; U–W – Russia: Lipetsk Oblast, Galichya Gora Nature Reserve, IBIW); A – aedeagus; B, I, Q – median lobe (penis); C, H, M, P, U – tegmen of aedeagus; D, E, J, S – 9th sternite; F, R – apex of median lobe; G, L, O, T, W – detail of apex of parameres; K – apex of 9th sternite.

Several species of terrestrial beetles were also collected in the South Kamchatka refuge: Amara brunnea (Gyllenhal, 1810) (Carabidae); Catops lydiae Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1970, C. alsiosus mongolicus Jeannel, 1936 (Leiodidae); Nicrophorus investigator Zetterstedt, 1824, N. vespilloides Herbst, 1783, Phosphuga atrata (Linnaeus, 1758), Lordithon thoracicus thoracicus (Fabricius, 1777), Tachinus elongatus Gyllenhal, 1810, T. instabilis Mäklin, 1853 (Staphylinidae); Byrrhus pilula (Linnaeus, 1758) (Byrrhidae); Hypnoidus bicolor (Eschscholtz, 1829), Liotrichus affinis (Paykull, 1800) (Elateridae); Rhagonycha cembricola (Eschscholtz, 1822) (Cantharidae); Meloe violaceus Marsham, 1802 (Meloidae); Epuraea boreella (Zetterstedt, 1828), E. contractula J. Sahberg, 1889, E. silacea (Herbst, 1783) (Nitidulidae); Oedemera virescens virescens (Linnaeus, 1767) (Oedemeridae); Сorticarina minuta (Fabricius, 1792) (Latridiidae); Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758 (Coccinellidae) and Galeruca tanaceti incisicollis (Motschulsky, 1860) (Chrysomelidae).

Terrestrial beetles represented mostly by the species/subspecies with temperate Holarctic (N. investigator, N. vespilloides, L. thoracicus thoracicus, T. elongatus, L. rhaetica, E. boreella, С. minuta, C. septempunctata), temperate Transpalaearctic (Ph. atrata, B. pilula, M. violaceus, E. biguttata, E. silacea, C. luteus, C. variegatus, O. virescens), and boreal Transpalaearctic (A. brunnea, C. borealis, L. fracta, L. obesa, L. silesiaca, E. contractual, A. arctica) ranges; in two cases with boreal eastern Palaearctic (C. alsiosus mongolicus, Rh. cembricola) and arcto-boreal amphi-Pacific (T. instabilis, H. bicolor), and boreal western Pacific (L. shigehisai), boreal pan-Pacific (C. lydiae), arcto-boreal eastern Palaearctic (G. tanaceti incisicollis) and arcto-boreal Transpalaearctic (L. affinis) ranges.

Acknowledgements

The research of A.S. Sazhnev and A.A. Prokin was carried out within the framework of Russia state assignment No. 124032500016-4. A.B. Ruchin and V.A. Netsvetaev are grateful to P.A. Volkova (Borok, Yaroslavl Oblast) for the help in field collecting. V.Yu. Savitsky (ZMMU) and S.V. Andreeva (ZISP) are thanked for the loan of valuable material.