New Butterfly Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh
Itanagar, June 15: In a significant breakthrough for biodiversity research, scientists have discovered a new butterfly species in the remote Mayodia Pass region of Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Dibang Valley. The species, named Chonala albistricta, has been formally described in the international scientific journal Zootaxa. The discovery adds a new member to the rare mountain butterfly genus Chonala, bringing the total number of known species worldwide to ten. Notably, Chonala albistricta is only the second species from this genus ever recorded in India. Although the butterfly closely resembles Chonala masoni, researchers confirmed it as a distinct species after detailed examinations of its wing patterns, external morphology and anatomical features. The findings underscore the importance of meticulous scientific studies in uncovering hidden biodiversity. The research was led by noted butterfly expert Krushnamegh Kunte of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), alongside r...