New damselfly species found in Kerala’s Western Ghats

Researchers have recorded multiple new damselfly species from the Western Ghats of Kerala between 2023 and 2026. The discoveries include Lestes paloti, Euphaea wayanadensis, Melanoneura agasthyamalaica, Protosticta armageddonia, and Protosticta sanguinithorax, along with other odonates from Silent Valley National Park.

Odonata and damselfly classification

Odonata is the insect order that includes dragonflies and damselflies. Damselflies are generally slender insects with narrow bodies, and many species are linked to streams, wetlands, and forested habitats in the Western Ghats.

Western Ghats as a biodiversity region

The Western Ghats is a mountain chain along India’s western coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kerala’s forests, streams, and protected areas such as Silent Valley National Park and the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary have produced several recent odonate records.

Recent species records from Kerala

Lestes paloti was discovered in July 2026 in Kerala’s Western Ghats and was published in the International Journal of Odonatology. In October 2025, six new odonate species were recorded in Silent Valley National Park, including the Blue-necked Reedtail (Protosticta mortoni), Wayanad Torrent Dart (Euphaea wayanadensis), and Black and Yellow Bambootail (Elattoneura tetrica). In April 2025, Euphaea wayanadensis was described from the Wayanad landscape in the Western Ghats. The species was placed in the journal ENTOMON, and Kerala’s odonate species count was listed as 191 at that time. In November 2024, Melanoneura agasthyamalaica, also called the Agasthyamalai Bambootail, was found near Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in Thiruvananthapuram district. In September 2023, Protosticta armageddonia, known as the Armageddon reedtail, was recorded in the southern Western Ghats northeast of Thiruvananthapuram.

Important Facts for Exams

• The order Odonata includes dragonflies and damselflies.
• The Western Ghats is one of India’s major biodiversity hotspots.
• Silent Valley National Park is located in Kerala’s Palakkad district.
• Euphaea wayanadensis is also known as the Wayanad Torrent Dart.

Taxonomy and identification methods

Researchers use morphology, high-resolution microscopy, and molecular analysis to separate closely related odonate species. These methods were used to distinguish the Shadowdamsel group from the Red-spot Shadowdamsel.