New damselfly species discovered in Western Ghats
Scientists from Maharashtra and Kerala just discovered two new damselfly species—the Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel—in the Western Ghats.
Announced on August 15, 2025, these tiny insects were discovered in Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), both regions known for their shaded forest habitats and streams preferred by shadowdamsels.
Unique species
At first, researchers thought these damselflies were an old species called the Red-spot Shadowdamsel.
But closer looks under a microscope—and some genetic testing—showed they're actually unique: one's coffee-brown, the other's got a reddish body.
Both are found only in this region.
Importance of damselflies
These shadowdamsels are more than just cool finds—they help signal if a forest stream is healthy since they need clean water and lots of shade to survive.
Sadly, their habitats are shrinking due to expanding plantations and loss of tree cover.
Finding them highlights why protecting these forests is so important—there could be even more hidden species waiting to be discovered.