Filling the gaps: New faunistic records of Coleoptera from Southeastern Europe

The Coleoptera fauna of Bulgaria remains insufficiently studied for many groups, particularly among small, cryptic, and saproxylic beetles. Despite the high diversity of habitats in the country, many taxa remain poorly studied due to a lack of research in specific microhabitats such as soil, leaf litter, and decaying wood. This study presents new faunistic data based on material collected between 2023 and 2025 using pitfall traps and hand collecting at multiple localities in southern Bulgaria. It also provides brief notes on the biology and ecology of the newly recorded species. Six species from the suborder Polyphaga are recorded from Bulgaria for the first time: Scymniscus horioni (Coccinellidae), Merophysia striatella (Endomychidae), Anommatus septemstriatus (Teredidae), Leucohimatium arundinaceum (Erotylidae), Agyrtes castaneus (Agyrtidae), and Pseudacrossus suffertus (Scarabaeidae). These records also represent the first Bulgarian records of the genera Scymniscus, Anommatus, Leucohimatium, and Agyrtes. Three of the newly recorded species belong to the superfamily Coccinelloidea, an overlooked group in Bulgaria that has been studied mainly in relation to ladybirds as biological control agents and the invasive harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis. Our findings highlight significant gaps in the current knowledge of the Bulgarian beetle fauna and emphasize the importance of targeted sampling using methods such as MSS, Winkler extractors, and Berlese funnels. This study is a part of the project under Grant contract number KP-06-N61/6 – 14.12.2022, funded by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.