In July 2025, Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered 4 new species of microscopic parasitic wasps in West Bengal (WB). These newly discovered wasps belong to the genus Idris Forster (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and are primary egg parasitoids of jumping spiders (Salticidae).
- They exhibit unique gregarious parasitism, a behavior where multiple wasps develop within a single spider egg sac.
- The names of newly identified wasp species: Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris hyllus and Idris longiscapus, were collected between 2021 and 2023 from agro-ecosystems and semi-natural habitats across WB.
Key Points:
i.These new species of wasps were discovered by a team of scientists led by senior scientist Dr. K Rajmohana at ZSI, Kolkata (WB) and the finding was recently published in the European Journal of Taxonomy.
ii.They were identified through a meticulous combination of detailed morphological examination and cutting-edge Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) barcoding.
iii.Despite their tiny size, these new species of wasps play a crucial role in nature by controlling spider populations.
New Butterfly Species ‘Zographetus mathewi’ Discovered in Western Ghats
In July 2025, a team of lepidopterists have discovered a new butterfly species named ‘Zographetus mathewi’ in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s 8 ‘hotspots’ of biological diversity.
- This newly identified skipper butterfly belongs to the family Hesperiidae and adds a new entry to the genus Zographetus Watson (1893) which makes it 15th species in this oriental group and the 5th to be recorded from India.
- The research was published in the journal Entomon.
Key Points:
i.The new species is named after George Mathew, Indian entomologist and former Head of the Entomology Division, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI). While, it’s proposed common name is Sahyadri Spotted Flitter in reference to the West Ghats, which are locally known as Sahyadri.
ii.The species was discovered by a group of scientists from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), the Institute of Tropical Research, Ecology and Conservation (INTREC) Thiruvananthapuram, and the ZSI.
Key Features:
i.The new species of butterfly is endemic to the low-elevation forests of Kerala, was discovered after the researchers observed larvae feeding on Aganope thyrsiflora (Fabaceae), a leguminous vine.
ii.It is part of the ‘Zographetus satwa species’ group and exhibits some unique features like:basal hair tuft beneath the forewing, yellow-ochre scaling on the underside of the hindwing and secondary sexual traits, including swollen forewing veins in males.
- It can be further distinguished from widely distributed Zographetus ogygia by as basal hair tuft on the underside, and distinct genitalia structures in both males and females.
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):
Director- Dr. Dhriti Banerjee
Headquarters- Kolkata, West Bengal (WB)
Established- 1916
