In News:

A team of odonatologists has discovered Lestespaloti, a new species of spreadwing damselfly, from the Western Ghats in Kerala.

About Lestespaloti

Lestespaloti is a newly discovered species of spreadwing damselfly belonging to the genus Lestes.

It is the first new species described under the genus Lestes from India since Lestesgaroensis, which was described by Lahiri in 1987, highlighting the rich but still underexplored biodiversity of the Western Ghats.

Habitat

The species inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often occurring away from open freshwater bodies, an unusual habitat preference for damselflies.

Key Characteristics

One of its distinguishing features is its seasonal colour change:

• Brown during the dry season
• Bluish during the monsoon

This colour variation is believed to aid adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

What are Damselflies?

Damselflies are predatory aerial insects belonging to the order Odonata, which also includes dragonflies.

They are commonly found near shallow freshwater habitats and possess slender bodies with long, transparent, net-veined wings. Compared to dragonflies, damselflies are generally smaller, more delicate, and exhibit a weaker flight.

Spreadwing Damselflies

Spreadwing damselflies are easily recognised by their distinctive resting posture, in which they hold their wings partially open in a "V" shape over the abdomen, unlike most damselflies that fold their wings together.