Lyriothemis Abrahami

Why in News?

Recently, a new species of dragonfly, Lyriothemis abrahami, was discovered in Kerala, which was previously misidentified as Lyriothemis flava due to superficial similarities.

• Discovered by - Researchers from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS).
• Nomenclature - Named after odonatologist Abraham Samuel.
• Scientific name - Lyriothemis abrahami.
• Family – Libellulidae.
• Order – Odonata, insect order that includes dragonflies and damselflies.
  • It increased Kerala’s odonate species count to 191, including 78 endemic species.
• The species was spotted only 4 times in Ponmudi, Kallar, Neyyar and the Peppara wildlife sanctuary.
• Morphology - Exhibits strong dimorphism, with males featuring uniquely shaped hamules and female displaying jet black bodies with yellow triangular spots.

• Habitat - Endemic to Southern and central Western Ghats, with known populations in forest landscapes of Kerala and Karnataka.
• Distribution - Lowland rainforests to mid-elevation evergreen and deciduous forests between 50 m and 1,100 m above sea level.
• Breeding - The new species breeds in phytotelmata, which are small pools of water in tree holes.
• Significance - Indicator of forest health, stressing habitat conservation’s broader ecological benefits.
• Emphasizes the importance of conserving forest microhabitats like tree holes, which serve as critical breeding sites.

Reference

The Hindu| Lyriothemis Abrahami