New damselfly species discovered in Kerala’s Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, in the Western Ghats of Kerala. This marks the first new species in the genus Lestes described in India in nearly four decades.
Why it matters
The discovery highlights the rich, under-documented biodiversity of the Western Ghats and underscores the importance of taxonomic research in conservation.
A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti , from the Western Ghats in Kerala. The discovery has been published in the International Journal of Odonatology , an internationally reputed peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on dragonflies and damselflies.
The discovery marks a significant addition to odonate taxonomy. Lestes paloti is the first new species described in the genus Lestes from India since Lestes garoensis was described by Lahiri in 1987, ending a gap of nearly four decades. It is also the first new Lestes species discovered from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus was described in 1929, making it the first addition to the region’s spreadwing fauna in almost a century. Such long intervals between discoveries are uncommon in insect taxonomy and highlight the scientific importance of this finding, according to researchers.
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