A scientist from Khorezm has discovered two previously unknown species of beetles.

The scientific discovery was announced by the press service of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. It is also known that after thorough international research, information about the Uzbek scientist's discovery was published in the renowned international scientific journal Zootaxa.

The newly discovered species have been named Microdera uzbekistanica and Microdera abdullohi. They belong to the family Tenebrionidae and are found in the Bukhara and Navoi regions, as well as in the mountains of Karakalpakstan. These beetles are endemics, well adapted to living in dry environments. They are primarily active at night. There are 88 known species of this genus worldwide, and this number has now increased by two.

Beetles represent the largest group of insects found in almost all regions of the Earth and are considered one of the most important organisms in the ecosystem. Among them, some harm agricultural crops, while others benefit nature. Additionally, there are rare and endangered protected species that remain unknown to science.

It is worth noting that at the end of last year, the Vice President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Professor Shahlo Turdikulova, became a member of the World Academy of Sciences, representing Uzbekistan on the global scientific stage. She was the only representative from the CIS and Central Asia among last year's participants and was among the seven Uzbek scientists honored to become part of a leading international scientific organization.