Seven New Moth Species Discovered by Entomologists in Kerala’s Ranipuram Forest.

Environment

In a significant biodiversity finding, researchers have identified seven new moth species during a February–March 2024 survey conducted in the Ranipuram forest, located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala.


      - The discovery has been documented in the May 2025 issue of the International Journal of Entomology Research, under the title: "First report of seven moth species (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Kerala: A survey from Ranipuram, Kasaragod, Kerala, India."

      - A team of researchers has documented seven new moth species from the Ranipuram forest in Kerala’s Kasaragod district.

      - The species identified are: Zeiraphera griseana, Toccolosida ganeshgudiensis, Tingena ombrodella, Pyla hanhamella, Herpetogramma semilaniata, Antiblemma alcinoe, and Adiopa sp.

Main Point :-   (i) These species fall under the order Lepidoptera and suborder Heterocera (moths). Moths from this group play vital ecological roles as pollinators, decomposers, and an essential food source in the natural food web, contributing significantly to ecosystem stability.

      (ii) The discovery significantly adds to the scientific documentation of moth biodiversity in Kerala, particularly from the Western Ghats, a UNESCO-recognized biodiversity hotspot.

(iii) It also emphasizes the importance of preserving forest habitats, especially in ecologically rich but sensitive regions like North Kerala, where agroecosystem complexity supports diverse species.

          ____________________________