Beetles with heart-shaped legs discovered in Central America

A new species of beetle with a heart-shaped leg joint has been discovered in Belize - perfectly timed for Valentine's Day.

The mysterious Ivierhipidius is believed to only think about one thing too: mating.

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Author of a study on the beetles, Max Barclay, says: "All of the specimens so far have been male. We have yet to see a female."

According to Discovery.com, he added: "Its closest relatives are parasites developing inside other insects. We don't yet know what its heart-shaped joint is used for, but we do know that the males don't even have a functional mouth to eat, so their only purpose is to search for mates. They certainly have a one-track mind."

Describing the Ivierhipidius, Mr Barclay said he spotted two winged male specimens among several thousand mixed insects collected on a field trip in Central America.

The Daily Mail reports that the beetle's heart-shaped trochanter connects the upper leg to the abdomen.

"One in five of living creatures is a beetle, and we are still uncovering new species today, even some with new modifications of body parts that disclose more about their evolution and way of life," he said.

Barclay is the beetle collections manager at London's Natural History Museum, where more than half of the world's known beetle species can be found.