Antaram idukki:
A team of researchers has discovered a new genus and species of tiger moth from the southern Western Ghats and named it as Antaram idukki.
- Antaram idukki belongs to the tiger moth subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae).
- It was discovered in Kerala’s Idukki district.
- It is currently known only from Idukki and is distinguished from related genera by a unique combination of external and genital morphological characters.
- Tiger moths play a crucial ecological role as pollinators, particularly for plants that bloom at night.
- They also serve as an important food source for birds, bats and other wildlife, while acting as biological indicators of environmental change.
- Moths are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera, which they share with butterflies.
- Characteristics:
- Highly adapted, they live in all but polar habitats.
- They often have duller colors compared to butterflies, which helps with Some, like the luna moth or atlas moth, are vividly colored.
- Moth antennae are often feathery, unlike the thin and clubbed antennae of butterflies.
- Most moths are active at night, but some are diurnal.
- The larvae and adults of most moth species are plant eaters. Larvae in particular do considerable damage to ornamental trees and shrubs and to many other plants of economic importance.
