8 months ago
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Researchers from the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab (SERL) astatine Christ College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, person discovered 2 caller taxon of antlions belonging to the household Myrmeleontidae nether the bid Neuroptera.
The archetypal species, Indophanes keralaensis, was identified from the wood regions of Sairandhri and Siruvani successful Palakkad territory arsenic good arsenic Pampadum Shola National Park successful Idukki. The sanction honours Kerala, wherever the Western Ghats, 1 of the world’s astir captious biodiversity hotspots, predominate the landscape.
The 2nd species, Indophanes sahyadriensis, was recorded from Siruvani (Palakkad), Pakshipathalam and Thirunelly (Wayanad), and Ranipuram (Kasaragod). Its sanction refers to the Sahyadri, the section word for the Western Ghats, which harbours unsocial autochthonal habitats.
Genus Indophanes
The genus Indophanes is reported from China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It antecedently included 9 taxon worldwide. With this discovery, the full has accrued to eleven. In India, the fig of Indophanes taxon has risen to five, of which 3 are recorded from Kerala.
The findings person been published successful the planetary technological diary Zootaxa. Researcher astatine SERL and Assistant Professor astatine St. Aloysius College, Elthuruth, Suryanarayanan T. B., probe supervisor and caput of SERL Bijoy C., Assistant Professor of Christ College and Hungarian idiosyncratic Levente Ábrahám were down this discovery.
Speaking astir the broader value of the discovery, Dr. Suryanarayanan noted: “This reinforces the important relation world institutions and section biodiversity surveys play successful filling the gaps successful India’s faunal inventory, peculiarly for lesser-known insect groups similar antlions.”
Order Neuroptera
Antlions are often mistaken for damselflies owed to their akin quality but tin beryllium distinguished by their long, clubbed antennae. They travel nether bid Neuroptera which includes holometabolous insects portion the damselflies travel nether bid Odonata, which includes hemimetabolous insects.
Many antlion larvae are known for constructing conical soil pits to trap prey. Larvae of the genus Indophanes bash not physique pits. Instead, they unrecorded beneath escaped soil, sheltered from nonstop sunlight, wind, and rain. With these 2 additions, Kerala present records 12 taxon of antlions, portion India’s tally rises to 110, according to Dr. Bijoy.
The survey was supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
