The discovery of a new genus of moths in Kerala’s Idukki highlights the hidden biodiversity of the Western Ghats

Antaram idukki | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A team of researchers has discovered a new genus and species of tiger moth from the southern part of the Western Ghats.

The new species was published in the internationally recognized, peer-reviewed Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society and was named Antaram idukki. This species belonging to the tiger moth subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae) was discovered in the Idukki district of Kerala.

Antaram idukki | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The study was carried out by an international team working with scientists and naturalists, including Aparna Sureshchandra Kalawate of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Western Regional Centre, Pune; Alberto Zilli, former Chief Curator of Lepidoptera at the Natural History Museum, London; Muhamed Jafer Palot of ZSI, Western Ghats Regional Centre, Kozhikode; and Balakrishnan Valappil, moth enthusiast and naturalist.

The researchers said the discovery was particularly significant because the descriptions of entirely new genera suggest the presence of previously unknown evolutionary lines. “Descriptions of new genera are relatively rare, especially in the subfamily Arctiinae. This subfamily usually includes larger moths. The new genus Antaram (a Sanskrit word meaning ‘difference’) is currently known only from Idukki and is distinguished from related genera by a unique combination of external and genital morphological characters,” they said.

According to the research team, the newly discovered genus appears to be extremely rare, and its larval host plant and life history remain unknown. Habitat degradation and vegetation changes could threaten its survival before its biology is fully understood, they warned.

Moths, the closest relatives of butterflies, belong to the order Lepidoptera. It is a very diverse insect that plays a key ecological role as a pollinator and as a major food source for many animals.

The discovery highlights the hitherto little-known insect diversity in India and shows that entirely new evolutionary lineages continue to be found in biodiversity-rich areas such as the Western Ghats, the researchers said. It also highlights the often neglected importance of insects and other invertebrates to ecosystem functioning.

They said Idukki in the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the eight biodiversity “hotspots”, faces increasing pressures from unregulated tourism, habitat degradation, land-use change and human-wildlife conflict despite its ecological importance.

“The discovery highlights the undocumented biodiversity of the Western Ghats and the need to protect these ecosystems and their previously unknown species,” the researchers added.

Published – 24 June 2026 10:40 AM IST