​New Damselfly Species Lestes paloti Discovered in the Western Ghats

In July 2026, researchers discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala, marking a significant addition to India's odonate diversity.

  • Lestes paloti is the first new species of the genus Lestes described from India since 1987.
  • The species is named in honour of Muhamed Jafer Palot, a scientist with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), for his contributions to Indian odonatology and biodiversity research.
  • The species has been recorded from Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.
  • Unlike many related species, it inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often away from open ....

Do You Want to Read More?
Subscribe Now
To get access to detailed content

Already a Member? Login here

Take Annual Subscription and get the following Advantage
The annual members of the Civil Services Chronicle can read the monthly content of the magazine as well as the Chronicle magazine archives.
Readers can study all the material since 2018 of the Civil Services Chronicle monthly issue in the form of Chronicle magazine archives.
Be an Annual Subscriber

Ecology & Environment