Costa Rican and Spanish scientists have discovered a new insect species in the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve in central Costa Rica, academics said Wednesday.

Esteban Duran of Madrid's National Farming Research Institute and Marco Antonio Zumbado, a Costa Rican researcher, said the insect species had been given the name "lagocherus delestali."

The experts said "lagocherus delestali" is a nocturnal insect measuring between 2-2.5 cm long with red and yellow spots on its body and a granulated texture on its forewings.

The new species' neck is a granulated brick color and its antennae have 11 segments. The male's femurs are larger than the female's.

The new species belongs to the coleopteran family, integrated by some 350,000 different insect species, and it develops its larval state inside rotten tree trunks.

The scientific investigation began in 2003, but it was not until April 2006 when the first specimens of this insect were collected. 　　"So far four new insects have been collected," said Zumbado.