Context:
A team of researchers have discovered a new species of damselfly at the Ponmudi hills in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- Key facts about the new species of damselfly
- About Ponmudi Hills
Key facts about the new species of damselfly
- Name: Cliffside Bambootail (Phylloneura rupestris).
- Group: Belongs to a group known as bambootails, characterized by a long abdomen resembling bamboo stalks.
- Habitat: Lays eggs in moss beds located in seasonal rills that flow over rock cliffs.
- Significance: The discovery is notable because, for over 160 years, the genus Phylloneura was considered monotypic, having only one described species, the Myristica Bambootail.
Myristica Bambootail:
- Population associated with myristica swamps, earning it the common name Myristica Bambootail.
- Sole described species of the genus Phylloneura.
- Considered near-threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Endemic to the Western Ghats, recorded only in the area between the Nilgiri Hills and Sharavathi Valley, north of the Palghat Gap.
About Ponmudi Hills:
- Location: Ponmudi, translating to ‘Golden Hill’ or ‘Golden Peak,’ is situated in the state of Kerala, India.
- Geography: It forms part of the Western Ghats mountain range, running parallel to the Arabian Sea, and is situated at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level.
- Agasthyamalai Landscape: Ponmudi hills are integral to the Agasthyamalai landscape, located at the southernmost tip of the Western Ghats.
- Biodiversity: The hills are renowned for their rich biodiversity, and they recently became notable for the discovery of the third species of damselfly within this region.
-Source: The Hindu
