New antlion species discovered in Kerala
Scientists from Christ College's Shadpada Entomology Lab have just discovered two brand-new antlion species in Kerala, and their findings were published in the journal Zootaxa.
The insects—named Indophanes keralaensis and Indophanes sahyadriensis—add to India's growing list of unique bugs and highlight just how much there is still to find in the wild.
Research like this helps fill big gaps
These new antlions turned up in Palakkad, Idukki, and Kasaragod districts, with their names giving a nod to both Kerala and the Sahyadri (local name for the Western Ghats).
With this discovery, Kerala now counts 12 known antlion species. Globally, there are now 11 recognized species of the Indophanes genus—five from India alone.
As Dr. Suryanarayanan put it, research like this helps fill big gaps in what we know about India's insect life.