THRISSUR: A group of researchers from the state and outside has discovered a new species of damselfly from Manjadininnavila in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Named Agasthyamalai Bambootail (Agasthyamala Mulavalan in Malayalam), the damselfly is a rare species belonging to the group of bambootails. The long cylindrical abdomen resembling a bamboo stalk fetched them the name Bambootail aka Mulavalan Thumbikal.
Mandininnavila comes under Aryanad grama panchayat and is situated adjacent to the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. The Karamana River flows in between.
“Since it was discovered from the Agasthyamalai landscape of Western Ghats, the name was chosen accordingly. The only other species in this genus is the Malabar Bambootail (Melanoneura bilineata) that is found in the Coorg-Wayanad landscape of the Ghats,” said Vivek Chandran, one of the team members.
According to experts, the members of this genus can be separated from other bambootails by the absence of the anal bridge vein in their wings.
“This genus of damselflies have long black bodies with brilliant blue markings. The new species differs from the Malabar Bambootail in the structure of prothorax, anal appendages and secondary genitalia,” he added.
The researchers have also shown that there is a difference of over 7 per cent in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase-I gene between the two species using molecular techniques.
The research team that discovered the rare species includes Vivek Chandran and Dr Subin K Jose of Christ College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda, Reji Chandran of the Society for Odonate Studies, and Dr Pankaj Koparde and Arajush Payra of MIT World Peace University, Pune.
“The Agasthyamalai Bambootail was first observed in the small streams flowing through homeyards into the Karamana River, an ecosystem outside the reserve forest. The forest region lies on the other banks of Karamana river. This highlights the importance of habitats outside protected areas in conserving biodiversity. Besides the type locality, the Agasthyamalai Bambootail was recorded from the Ponmudi hills and Bonacaud in the same landscape,” said Reji Chandran.