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Researchers have identified 43 insect species in Armenia for the first time and 10 that have been described as entirely new to science, the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) reported.

"At the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), we are committed to advancing scientific understanding and conservation efforts across diverse ecosystems. We are proud to support the recent study by Baldizzone (2024), titled New or Little-Known Species and New Records of Coleophoridae from Armenia (Lepidoptera), published in Revue Suisse de Zoologie. This research, based on extensive fieldwork conducted in 2019 and 2022 in Armenia’s Urtsadzor area and Gorovan Sands National Sanctuary, provides important insights into the taxonomic and ecological diversity of the Coleophoridae family within the region’s unique arid and semi-arid landscapes," the FPWC said.

Methodology

In our role as a patron of rigorous biodiversity research, we value the detailed methodological approach demonstrated in this study. The investigation involved extensive field sampling and systematic documentation of Coleophoridae species. Researchers identified a total of 72 species, including 43 that were recorded in Armenia for the first time and 10 that have been described as entirely new to science. Notably, the study presents the first illustrations of female genitalia for four species—a key development for accurate taxonomic classification.

Key Findings

The study has led to several significant discoveries, including the identification of the following newly described species:

Coleophora savenkovi
C. paracoriacea
C. rowecki
C. sanctuariella
C. lepida
C. iucunda
C. hispida
C. anomala
C. gorovanensis
C. finitima

"These findings underscore the rich biodiversity present in Armenia’s ecosystems. Our regions of focus, such as the Artemisia semi-desert environments at Gorovan Sands and the subalpine meadows near the Urtsadzor Ecolodge, are revealed to support a diverse assemblage of Coleophoridae species. Additionally, the research revises the distribution of several species, including documenting the first European occurrence of C. zofodella," the FPWC said.