After 33 years, a new species of butterfly has been discovered in the Western Ghats

Jan 19, 2024 #Bank_PO, #BPSC, #Current_Affairs, #DSSSB, #Railway, #SSC, #UPSC, #WBPSC

After 33 years, a new species of butterfly has been discovered in the Western Ghats.
A new species of Silverline butterfly, Cigaritis meghamalaiensis, has been discovered in Srivilliputtur Megamalai Tiger Reserve.
In the last 33 years, this butterfly species has been found for the first time in the Western Ghats.
The newly identified species had been named after the region – Megamalai – meaning ‘cloud mountain’.
The common name for this species was ‘Cloud-forest Silverline’.
This discovery has increased the number of Cigaritis butterfly species from seven to eight.
This species has a unique feature. The caterpillars are reared by vicious ants called Crematogasterwroughtonii.
The total number of butterflies in the Western Ghats has increased to 337 species including 40 Western Ghats endemics.