Odonate survey finds 5 new species in Thiruvananthapuram division

Five caller taxon of dragonflies and damselflies were discovered successful the latest survey of odonates held successful Thiruvananthapuram wildlife division. The survey held from September 12 to 14 documented an awesome 121 taxon of dragonflies and damselflies.

The survey was jointly conducted by the Society for Odonate Studies and the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department. “The survey marked a large milestone successful determination biodiversity studies,” said odonate adept Sujith V. Gopalan.

N. Syam Mohanlal, wood conservator, ABP circle, inaugurated the survey. S.V. Vinod, wildlife warden, flagged disconnected the exercise. Two twelve volunteers took portion successful the survey guided by odonate experts similar Dr. Gopalan, Vivek Chandran, Muhammed Sherif, Renjith Jacob Mathews and Reji Chandran.

The survey took spot crossed 10 strategically selected camps and adjoining habitats. “Camps were selected on an altitudinal gradient to encompass maximum situation diverseness and microhabitats wrong the division,” said Dr. Gopalan.

As galore arsenic 73 taxon of dragonflies and 48 taxon of damselflies were recorded successful the three-day assessment. They included the 5 taxon recently recovered successful Thiruvananthapuram.

They are Merogomphus aryanadensis (dainty longleg), Protostictasanguinithorax (crimson reedtail), Anax indicus (lesser greenish emperor), Macromia bellicose (militant torrent hawk) and Lestes dorothea (forest spreadwing).

Among the caller five, dainty longleg and crimson reedtail stood retired arsenic peculiarly noteworthy species, some having been described to subject for the archetypal clip conscionable past year.

The survey besides brought distant respective taxonomic updates, bringing section records successful enactment with the latest technological reclassifications.

Phylloneura westernmanni was updated arsenic Phylloneura rupestris (cliffside bambootail), Melanoneura bilineata updated arsenic Melanoneura agasthyamalaica (Agasthyamalai bambootail), and Lyriothemis flava redefined arsenic Lyriothemis abrahami (Abraham’s bloodtail).

Some survey camps, similar Anchunazhikathode documented implicit 46 taxon and sites similar Pulininnakala and the adjacent country documented 80 positive species, reflecting the pristine prime of the region’s ecosystems.

The survey recovered a steadfast colonisation of stream-dwelling torrent darts, including Euphaea fraseri (Malabar torrent dart) and Euphaea cardinalis (Travancore torrent dart), arsenic good arsenic Myristica swamp specialists similar Calocypha laidlawi (Myristica sapphire), a uncommon and striking damselfly endemic to this habitat.

The database besides included shade-loving damselflies similar Protosticta ponmudiensis (Travancore reedtail) and the precocious described Protosticta armageddonia (armageddon reedtail), alongside bambootail taxon from the genera Esme and Caconeura.

Other charismatic determination endemics, including Epithemis mariae, Gomphidia kodaguensis, arsenic good arsenic taxon of Epophthalmia, Macromia, and Idionyx were besides observed.

“The precocious fig of endemic odonate taxon recovered successful the survey points to the ecological richness and pristine quality of the region’s habitats,” said Dr. Gopalan.

Being highly delicate to biology change, odonates service arsenic captious indicators of ecosystem health, reflecting the prime of h2o systems and wood habitats.