🗞️ Why in News
Scientists have described Lestes paloti, a new species of spreadwing damselfly, from Kerala’s Western Ghats. It is the first new Lestes species recorded from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus in 1929, closing a gap of roughly 96 years, and the first new Lestes from India since Lestes garoensis in 1987. The discovery was published in the International Journal of Odonatology.
A Discovery Nearly a Century in the Making
The Western Ghats is one of the most intensively surveyed biodiversity landscapes in the world, which makes the description of a new Lestes species here a notable event. The genus Lestes belongs to the family Lestidae, commonly called spreadwings, and the last time a member of this genus was named from the Western Ghats was Lestes malabaricus in 1929. For India as a whole, the previous new Lestes was Lestes garoensis in 1987 from the northeast. Lestes paloti therefore fills a taxonomic gap that stretched across generations of naturalists.
The species was named in honour of Dr Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), recognising his contributions to the study of the region’s fauna. Naming new species after living scientists (a patronym) is a common taxonomic practice that credits sustained field and museum work.
Where It Was Found
Lestes paloti was recorded across six districts of Kerala, indicating a reasonably wide but still region-specific distribution within the state.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lestes paloti |
| Genus / Family | Lestes / Lestidae (spreadwings) |
| Named after | Dr Muhamed Jafer Palot, ZSI |
| Region | Western Ghats, Kerala |
| Districts recorded | Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Ernakulam |
| Habitat | Scrub and laterite hillocks, away from open water |
| Special trait | Seasonal colour change (brown in dry season, bluish in monsoon) |
| Published in | International Journal of Odonatology |
Why the Species Stands Out
Two features make Lestes paloti biologically interesting. First, it shows seasonal colour change: individuals appear brown during the dry season and turn bluish during the monsoon. Such seasonal polyphenism can help an insect regulate temperature and camouflage as the surrounding vegetation shifts through the year.
Second, unlike many damselflies that stay close to ponds and streams, this species inhabits scrub and laterite hillocks away from open water. This unusual habitat preference suggests the Western Ghats still hides species adapted to microhabitats that routine surveys near water bodies can miss.
Damselflies vs Dragonflies
Damselflies and dragonflies together form the insect order Odonata. A quick way to tell them apart at rest:
- Damselflies fold their wings over the body when perched, and have slender bodies with widely separated eyes.
- Dragonflies hold their wings out flat and horizontal at rest, and are typically stouter with touching eyes.
Odonates are prized as freshwater bio-indicators: because their larvae develop in water and adults hunt near it, their presence and diversity signal the health of wetlands, streams and the wider catchment.
The Western Ghats and the Role of the ZSI
The Western Ghats is a UNESCO natural World Heritage site and one of India’s four biodiversity hotspots (alongside the Himalaya, the Indo-Burma region and the Sundaland or Nicobar group). Its high endemism, meaning species found nowhere else, is exactly what makes discoveries like Lestes paloti possible even in the twenty-first century.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), established in 1916 and headquartered in Kolkata, is the nodal organisation for faunal survey and documentation in the country. Discoveries of this kind, often supported by field naturalists and citizen science networks of odonate watchers, feed directly into national biodiversity records and conservation planning.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 3: Conservation, biodiversity and environment; science and technology (taxonomy, bio-indicators).
Prelims pointers:
- Lestes paloti belongs to genus Lestes, family Lestidae (spreadwings), order Odonata.
- Named after Dr Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
- ZSI: established 1916, headquartered in Kolkata; nodal body for faunal survey.
- Western Ghats: UNESCO World Heritage site and one of India’s four biodiversity hotspots.
- Damselflies fold wings over the body at rest; dragonflies keep them spread flat.
- Odonates are freshwater bio-indicators.
Mains question: New species discoveries from the Western Ghats highlight both the region’s endemism and the gaps in our biodiversity documentation. Discuss the role of institutions like the ZSI and of citizen science in strengthening India’s faunal records.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- Lestes paloti is the first new Lestes from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus (1929) and the first from India since Lestes garoensis (1987).
- Recorded in six Kerala districts: Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad and Ernakulam.
- Lives in scrub and laterite hillocks away from open water, unusual for a damselfly.
- Shows seasonal colour change: brown in the dry season, bluish in the monsoon.
- India’s four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalaya, the Western Ghats, the Indo-Burma region and Sundaland (Nicobar).
- Order Odonata = dragonflies + damselflies; larvae are aquatic, making them sensitive indicators of freshwater health.
Sources: The Hindu on Lestes paloti, Zoological Survey of India, International Journal of Odonatology
Source: Lestes Paloti: A New Damselfly from the Western Ghats — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
