Rediscovery of Ice Age-Era Dragonfly in the Western Ghats

Prelims Bits

Context

Odonatologists have confirmed the presence of the elusive dragonfly species Crocothemis erythraea in the high-altitude regions of the southern Western Ghats. The species had previously been misidentified or overlooked due to its similarity to the more common lowland species Crocothemis servilia.

Details
  1. Genus Crocothemis in India
    • C. servilia: Widespread across lowland regions
    • C. erythraea: Restricted to high-elevation habitats, also found in Europe, Asia, and the Himalayas
  2. Previous Records
    • 2018: Specimens photographed in the Munnar high ranges during a faunal survey
    • 2021: Cited in a monograph on Kerala’s odonata fauna
    • Subsequent Removal: Records omitted in later checklists due to identification skepticism
  3. Recent Field Expeditions
    • Conducted between 2019–2023 across high-altitude sites in the Western Ghats
    • Confirmed that both C. erythraea and C. servilia coexist in the region
  4. Historical Significance
    • C. erythraea likely colonized southern India during the Pleistocene Ice Age
    • Cooler climatic conditions at the time allowed temperate species to expand southward
Significance
  • Highlights the biodiversity of the Western Ghats, a high-altitude ecosystem with unique fauna
  • Underlines the importance of accurate species identification in conservation and biodiversity assessments
  • Offers insight into historical biogeography, showing how climatic shifts influence species distribution
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