Zographetus mathewi

A team of lepidopterists has identified a new butterfly species in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity.

Key Details of the Discovery:

• Name: The new species is named Zographetus mathewi.
• Family and Genus: It is a skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae and adds a new entry to the genus Zographetus Watson, 1893.
• Significance:
  • This makes it the 15th species in the Zographetus oriental group.
  • It is the fifth species of this genus to be recorded from India.
• Endemic to Kerala: The species is endemic to the low-elevation forests of Kerala.
• Publication: The discovery was published in the peer-reviewed journal Entomon.
• Discovering Scientists: The new species was discovered by scientists from:
  • Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS)
  • Institute of Tropical Research, Ecology and Conservation (INTREC), Thiruvananthapuram
  • Zoological Survey of India
• Naming Honor: The species is named in honor of George Mathew, a renowned Indian entomologist and former Head of the Entomology Division, Kerala Forest Research Institute.
• Proposed Common Name: Its proposed common name is Sahyadri Spotted Flitter, a reference to the Western Ghats, which are locally known as Sahyadri.

(Source: TH)