Six odonate species discovered in Silent Valley

Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies were found in Silent Valley National Park during an odonate survey held from October 10 to 12. The survey, jointly held by Silent Valley National Park and the Society for Odonate Studies (SOS), recorded the growing richness of the park’s pristine ecosystem.

The three-day survey recorded 83 species of odonates in the park, including the six new species. With the new records, the total number of known odonate species in the Silent Valley National Park has increased from 103 to 109.

The newly recorded species are Long Legged Clubtail (Merogomphus longistigma), Fraser’s Torrent Hawk (Macromia irata), Dark Daggerhead (Macromidia donaldi), Blue-necked Reedtail (Protosticta mortoni), Wayanad Torrent Dart (Euphaea wayanadensis), and Black and Yellow Bambootail (Elattoneura tetrica).

“These new additions not only enrich the park’s odonate diversity, but also highlight the presence of varied microhabitats capable of supporting 109 species,” said odonate expert Sujith V. Gopalan.

Freshwater quality

Three Euphaea species (Euphaea dispar, E. fraseri, and E. wayanadensis) were recorded during the survey. Each of these species is a known indicator of freshwater quality, representing specific altitudinal and microhabitat ranges, thereby confirming the excellent ecological integrity of the park’s freshwater streams, Dr. Gopalan said.

Species from the genus Protosticta (P. mortoni, P. gravelyi) and Saffron Reedtail (Indosticta deccanensis) further emphasise the park’s role as a refuge for Western Ghats endemics dependent on highly localised habitats.

Other notable recordings include Pale-spotted Bambootail (Caconeura gomphoides), restricted to high elevations of the park, and other rare endemics such as Ruby-tailed Hawklet (Epithemis mariae), Myristica Bambootail (Phylloneura westermanni), Malabar Bambootail (Melanoneura bilineata).

“Odonates are indicators of ecosystem health, and studying their population status can provide valuable insights into the overall wellness of the habitats they represent,” said Dr. Gopalan.

He said the transect surveys conducted along predetermined routes yielded encouraging results. These transect data will be further analysed and compared with previous surveys to derive a more detailed understanding of the ecosystem’s dynamics and trends over time.

37 volunteers

This was the fourth odonate survey in Silent Valley since 2019. Experts said one more survey would be conducted next year as part of a deeper study.

The survey was held across 12 campsites involving 37 volunteers and forest staff.

Silent Valley Wildlife Warden Arulselvan K. inaugurated the survey. Assistant Wildlife Wardens Vishnu V.S. and N. Ganesan spoke. Apart from Dr. Gopalan, odonate experts Vivek Chandran, Mohammed Sherif, Renjith Jacob Mathews and Reji Chandran led the survey.