Measuring approximately 44–53 millimetres in length, Liocheles similipalensis possesses a predominantly black body with a distinctive glossy, bluish sheen. Its preference for rocky environments makes it a lithophilic species, a term used to describe organisms associated with rock-based habitats.
The phenomenon highlights the ecological connections between the Eastern Ghats, the plains of Tamil Nadu and the Western Ghats. It also demonstrates how changes in rainfall, vegetation and environmental conditions influence the movement of wildlife across different landscapes.
The three species, identified as Rhysida quadrispinosa, Rhysida coorgensis and Rhysida neyyarensis, belong to the centipede genus Rhysida. Their descriptions were published on October 12, 2026, in the International Journal of Tropical Insect Science.
The newly described wasp belongs to the family Proctotrupidae, a group of parasitoid wasps whose larvae develop in or on other insects.
Named Steneucyrtus wayanadensis, the beetle was discovered in the Chethalayam forest area of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary during scientific surveys conducted by researchers associated with the Zoological Survey of India’s Western Ghat Regional Centre in Kozhikode, MES Mampad College and the University of Calicut.
Named Tetragonula nagalandensis, the species was described by researchers from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Nagaland University and Central Agricultural University, Imphal. Their study was published online in the journal Oriental Insects on August 24, 2026.
The recording of 165 butterfly species within the Dehing Patkai landscape is significant because butterflies respond rapidly to changes in vegetation, humidity, temperature, availability of host plants and disturbance.
The newly described species, Ghatiana karnataka, was discovered at Mavinkaru in the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary of Udupi district, where it inhabits moist lateritic habitats within the central Western Ghats. Its formal description was published on 21 July 2026 in the journal Species by Santanu Mitra of the Zoological Survey of India and Ajmeer K of the Karnataka Forest Department.
The species, the Spoon-tailed Duskhawker (Gynacantha basiguttata), has now been identified from photographs taken along the Miao–Vijaynagar Road inside Namdapha. The finding represents the first verifiable photographic record of the species from Arunachal Pradesh and provides evidence strong enough for researchers to recommend its inclusion in India’s contemporary Odonata checklist.
