Why in News: The Long-tailed Duskhawker dragonfly (Gynacantha khasiaca) — last recorded in Arunachal Pradesh during the 1914 Abor Expedition — has been rediscovered after 110 years inside Namdapha Tiger Reserve. The find, photographed during an October 2024 biodiversity survey along the Miao–Vijaynagar road, was published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa in May 2026 — the first confirmed Arunachal record in over a century.
The Species
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Gynacantha khasiaca |
| Common name | Long-tailed Duskhawker |
| Order / Family | Odonata / Aeshnidae (Hawker dragonflies) |
| Described by | Robert McLachlan, 1896 (from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya — hence khasiaca) |
| IUCN Red List status | Data Deficient |
| Indian distribution (prior) | Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand |
| International distribution | Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh |
| Last Arunachal record | 1914 — Abor Expedition |
| Rediscovery date | October 2024 |
| Publication | Journal of Threatened Taxa, May 2026 |
| Site | Miao–Vijaynagar road, Namdapha Tiger Reserve |
What is a Duskhawker?
Duskhawkers (genus Gynacantha) are crepuscular dragonflies — active at dusk and dawn rather than midday. This makes them under-surveyed: most odonate fieldwork is daytime-focused. Key features:
- Large, robust hawker-type build (wingspan typically 90–110 mm).
- Long abdomen and prominent caudal appendages — hence “long-tailed”.
- Strong, low-light flyers; often associated with shaded forest streams and tree holes.
- Larvae develop in stagnant or slow-flowing forest pools and tree-hole phytotelmata.
Namdapha Tiger Reserve — The Site
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| State | Arunachal Pradesh (Changlang district) |
| Area | 1,985.23 km² (core), with buffer; total ~2,053 km² |
| Declared National Park | 1983 |
| Declared Tiger Reserve | 1983 (Project Tiger) |
| Elevation range | 200 m to 4,571 m — one of the largest altitudinal ranges of any Indian protected area |
| Biogeographic zone | Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot |
| Iconic species | Tiger, clouded leopard, snow leopard, common leopard (four big cats in one PA — unique in India); Mishmi takin, red panda, hoolock gibbon, Namdapha flying squirrel |
| River | Noa-Dihing |
| Tribal communities | Lisu, Chakma, Tangsa |
Why the Rediscovery Matters
- Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot — Arunachal is part of one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots; insect diversity is hugely under-documented.
- Climate baseline — odonates are sensitive bio-indicators of freshwater ecosystem health; mapping them gives a baseline for climate-impact monitoring.
- Citizen science + targeted surveys — the rediscovery underlines that India’s faunal inventory has major gaps, especially for invertebrates and crepuscular species.
- Eastern Himalaya conservation case — repeated rediscoveries in recent years (Manipur-clay dragonfly Anaciaeschna jaspidea records, Mizoram skink Calamaria mizoramensis 2026, Vaccinium piliferum 2026) reinforce the case for protected area expansion.
India’s Odonate Diversity — Quick Numbers
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Indian odonate species | ~500 (dragonflies + damselflies) |
| Global odonate species | ~6,300 |
| Endemic to India | ~70 |
| Western Ghats endemics | Several (e.g., Idionyx travancorensis) |
| North-East dragonfly diversity | Particularly high — Arunachal alone hosts ~150+ species |
Conservation Framework
| Layer | Detail |
|---|---|
| Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 | Schedule listings — most invertebrates not listed; protection is largely habitat-based |
| IUCN Red List | Many Gynacantha species are Data Deficient — survey-led upgrades needed |
| CITES | Not applicable to most odonates |
| National Mission on Himalayan Studies | MoEFCC platform — funds Himalayan biodiversity surveys |
| State Biodiversity Boards | Maintain People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) |
Way Forward
- Targeted crepuscular surveys in NE India and Western Ghats — current odonate fieldwork is daylight-biased.
- Re-assess IUCN status of Gynacantha khasiaca — Data Deficient status may now be revisable.
- Citizen science platforms — iNaturalist, India Biodiversity Portal, Odonata of India — to crowdsource records.
- Strengthen Namdapha — staffing and patrolling have historically been weak relative to its enormous size.
- Local community involvement — Lisu, Chakma, Tangsa communities as biodiversity stewards.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 3 — Environment & Ecology:
- Biodiversity, conservation, protected area system in India.
- Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
- Species in news — IUCN status changes.
Analytical hooks for Mains:
- Invertebrate conservation in a vertebrate-dominated policy landscape.
- Citizen science as a complement to formal surveys.
- Bio-indicator species and climate monitoring.
Facts Corner
- Species: Gynacantha khasiaca (Long-tailed Duskhawker).
- Family: Aeshnidae; Order: Odonata.
- Described: McLachlan, 1896 (Khasi Hills).
- IUCN status: Data Deficient.
- Rediscovery site: Miao–Vijaynagar road, Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Rediscovery year: October 2024 (published Journal of Threatened Taxa, May 2026).
- Previous Arunachal record: 1914 Abor Expedition.
- Namdapha NP/TR: Notified 1983; ~1,985 km² core.
- Namdapha big cats: Tiger, common leopard, clouded leopard, snow leopard — only Indian PA with all four.
- Indian odonate species: ~500; global ~6,300.
- India biodiversity hotspots: Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Sundaland (Nicobar) — 4 of the world’s 36.
Sources: Journal of Threatened Taxa, The Hindu, Mongabay-India
Source: Long-tailed Duskhawker Dragonfly Rediscovered in Arunachal After 110 Years — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
