Latest news with #TravancoreNatureHistorySociety
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
New dragonfly species discovered in Western Ghats
Kozhikode: Researchers discovered a new species of dragonfly in the Western Ghats. The species, named Lyriothemis abrahami, was previously misidentified as Lyriothemis flava due to superficial similarities. The discovery was made by researchers from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) and collaborating institutions following field surveys and larval rearing experiments. The findings were published in the journal Entomon on June 30. The new species has been named in honour of Abraham Samuel, a pioneer in odonatology from Kerala. It is endemic to the southern and central Western Ghats and has been found in multiple forest landscapes in Kerala and Karnataka. "This discovery highlights the hidden diversity within India's forests and the value of close morphological study," said Kalesh Sadasivan, lead author and odonate researcher of TNHS. "Our rearing of larvae and dissection of adults revealed distinct characters not found in L. flava," Sadasivan added. The new species breeds in phytotelmata, which are small pools of water in tree holes and exhibits strong sexual dimorphism. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cette chose soulage les pieds (découvrez la) Confort pied En savoir plus Undo Males possess uniquely shaped hamules, whereas females are jet-black with prominent yellow triangular spots. Its distribution ranges from lowland rainforests to mid-elevation evergreen and deciduous forests (50–1100m ASL), yet it remains rare and localised. "Lyriothemis abrahami exemplifies how species can be overlooked when relying on superficial characters or juvenile forms," said Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India. "It was misidentified for over a decade due to similarities with L. flava." The study revealed that specimens from earlier reports, including a female collected in 2013, belonged to this new species. The research team conducted comparative analyses with historical material and illustrated the diagnostic traits. "The discovery raises Kerala's odonate count to 191 species, including 78 endemics," said Vinayan Padmanabhan Nair, co-author. This discovery reinforces the importance of conserving forest microhabitats. Tree holes, often overlooked, are critical breeding sites for species such as L. abrahami. The loss of mature trees and canopy cover threatens these delicate niches. "This dragonfly is not just a species, it's an indicator of forest health," said Jebine Jose, co-author and field ecologist. "Conserving its habitat helps protect many other unseen organisms."
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
New butterfly species, Zographetus mathewi, discovered in Western Ghats
A team of lepidopterists have identified a new butterfly species in the Western Ghats, one of the world's eight 'hottest hotspots' of biological diversity. Named Zographetus mathewi, this newly described skipper butterfly belongs to the family Hesperiidae and adds a new entry to the genus ZographetusWatson, 1893, making it the 15th species in this oriental group and the fifth to be recorded from India. The species, endemic to the low-elevation forests of Kerala, was identified after the researchers observed larvae feeding on Aganope thyrsiflora (Fabaceae), a leguminous vine. Although initially resembling the widely distributed Z. ogygia, detailed studies revealed key differences in wing venation and genital structure, thereby prompting its classification as a new species. The species, published in the peer-reviewed journal Entomon, was discovered by scientists from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), the Institute of Tropical Research, Ecology and Conservation (INTREC) Thiruvananthapuram, and the Zoological Survey of India. 'Initially, we thought we had encountered Zographetus ogygia, a known species from Western Ghats,' explained Kalesh Sadasivan, the lead author and butterfly researcher from TNHS. 'But detailed morphological and genitalia studies revealed that this was, in fact, a completely new species.' The new species is named in honour of George Mathew, a renowned Indian entomologist and former Head of the Entomology Division, Kerala Forest Research Institute. Its proposed common name is Sahyadri Spotted Flitter in reference to the Western Ghats, locally known as Sahyadri. Zographetus mathewi is part of the Zographetus satwa species-group, characterised by unique features such as wing venation patterns and secondary sexual traits, including swollen forewing veins in males. It can be further distinguished by a basal hair tuft on the underside of the forewing, yellow-ochre scaling on the hindwing underside, and distinct genitalia structures in both males and females. Despite its rarity – only one adult was observed in the wild during years of fieldwork – the researchers found multiple larvae and pupae in forested areas across Kerala, including Kallar, Shendurney, Edamalayar and Nilambur, all below 600 metres elevation. This suggests that while adult sightings are extremely rare, the species may have a broader distribution within the Western Ghats, though it remains endemic to the region.
