First record of the beetle family Limnichidae Erichson, 1846, based on Pelochares ryukyuensis M. Satô, 1966 (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea) from Korea

Limnichidae Erichson, 1846 is a small family within the superfamily Byrrhoidea, comprising approximately 400 species. Although it is a widely distributed taxon, it had not been formally recorded from Korea prior to this study. The newly-recorded species, Pelochares ryukyuensis M. Satô, 1966, was known only from Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima, Koshikijima Islands, Ryukyu Islands) and China (Taiwan). In this paper, Limnichidae Erichson, 1846 is formally recorded from Korea for the first time, based on Pelochares ryukyuensis M. Satô, 1966 from Muan-gun and Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do. Identification was confirmed by habitus, male genitalia and COI barcode data. Online photographic records from Wanju-gun and Gochang-gun suggest that the species is more widely distributed in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. Diagnostic characters, collection data and a barcode sequence are provided.