What: Water Strider new species
Where: Nagaland
Who: Zoological Survey of India
- A new species of water strider was discovered in the river Intanki, Peren district in Nagaland.
- The species, named Ptilomera nagalanda Jehamalar and Chandra, was discovered by the scientists from Zoological Survey of India.
- Features: The species is Orange with black stripes on the dorsal side and a pale yellowish brown ventral part of the body, which has long slender legs and measures about 11.79 mm.
- The presence of black stripes on the dorsal side differentiates this species from other known species of the subgenus Ptilomera.
About Water Striders
- These are a group of insects adapted to life on the surface of water, using surface tension to their advantage.
- Currently 100 species of water striders found in India across different water bodies.
- Till now, only five species of water striders under the subgenus Ptilomera were known in India.
- These five species are:
- Ptilomera agriodes (found in peninsular India),
- Ptilomera assamensis (found in northeastern India)
- Ptilomera laticaudata, (northern and northeastern India)
- Pltilomera occidentalis (Uttarakhand) and
- Ptilomera tigrina (Andaman islands)
- Water striders are good indicator of water quality, they also play an important role in the food chain by feeding on mosquito larvae.
