Urban taxonomy: a new beetle genus from an Asian mega-city underpins limited knowledge of the “new wilderness”

Abstract Urban ecology is a rapidly expanding discipline depicting cities as dynamic ecosystems that foster new ecological interactions between organisms. This study highlights the pivotal role of biodiversity research in urban landscapes, advancing urban ecology and spurring the emergence of “urban taxonomy”—the discovery of new species in urban ecosystems. We describe Punctalticagen. nov. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), a remarkable new moss-inhabiting flea beetle genus discovered from anthropogenic microhabitats in Shenzhen (China) city parks. Two species (P. shenzhenensissp. nov. and P. montanasp. nov.) are reported, along with Punctaltica’s phylogenetic placement via multilocus molecular analysis. The lifecycle of P. shenzhenensis is documented via field and lab studies, detailing each developmental stage. Field surveys show that moisture and seasons strongly affect the abundance of its population. Dry conditions (<60% relative air humidity) are lethal to eggs, larvae, and adults. P. shenzhenensis also features unusually large eggs, reaching up to 61% of adult size, and rare larval development that is reduced to 2 instars. Upon examining the literature of new species discoveries from urban areas, we underscore the significance of urban ecosystem research. Additionally, we discuss urban taxonomy’s implications for future city development and park planning and management. We advise preserving sizeable urban forest areas, even as parks, and minimizing artificial maintenance like chemicals, leaf removal, and plowing.