New butterfly species named after late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg
A new butterfly, Euthalia zubeengargi, has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh's Leparada district by researchers Roshan Upadhaya and Kalesh Sadasivan.
The species is named in honor of Assamese music legend Zubeen Garg, who passed away last September.
Their discovery was published in the journal Entomon.
About the newly discovered butterfly species
Euthalia zubeengargi stands out for its unique wing patterns and is part of a genus mostly found across South and Southeast Asia.
Only two male butterflies were spotted, hinting it might be rare or very local.
It prefers shady forest areas, feeds on tree sap and minerals from damp spots, and was seen flying slowly between plants at elevations of 600 to 750 meters.
While its full life cycle is still a mystery, it adds to the rich diversity of butterflies in northeast India.