The biology world has had a fun discovery this week! A research team was able to successfully identify a new species of dragonfly in Southern India. The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet (Epithemis Wayanadensis) adds a lot of excitement to the science world as each discovery offers more insight into the world we live in. There are so many things unknown about the dragonfly that need further study, but overall, there is plenty of fun new information that we know! Keep reading below to learn more about the Christened Red-rumped Hawklet, where it lives, and other facts!
The Discovery
Because of its recent discovery, the Christened Red-rumped Hawklet does not have many photos. This photo depicts a saddlebag skimmer whose color is very similar, however.
©iStock.com/PaulReevesPhotography
The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet dragonfly was discovered in the district of Wayanad in Kerala State, India. This region of India is famous for its ecotourism and beautiful nature. It makes sense that a new species of dragonfly was found here! There were multiple researchers learning information from this area of India including Vivek Chandran, Subin Jones, David Raju, and Max Planck. Through collaborative efforts, these researchers were able to effectively conduct research in the area, resulting in the discovery of a new dragonfly! The discovery was more of a coincidence than anything! The research group was conducting research on a similar species in the area and was lucky enough to find a whole new species! The team was working in the area and came across the species. The discovery was officially made in early October with reports being made on the 8th of the month!
Appearance
The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet has a very simple yet elegant appearance. The dragonfly is completely black in color but does have spots of red on the thorax area of the abdomen. Similar to other flying insects, the wings of the Christened Red-rumped Hawklet have both the membrane and veins. The membrane for this dragonfly is clear in appearance, giving the wings the power to fly. The veins are pitch black in color, matching the rest of its body. This dragonfly has a very sleek appearance, making it stand out! There are slight differences in hue however based on the sex of the dragonfly. The male Christened Red-rumped Hawklet has a deep brown and red hue to its overall black color, while the female has a warmer yellow. While it may be hard to tell initially, small details like these are important to the researchers. Understanding even the smallest aspects of appearance gives justification for researchers to claim a new species. By understanding new species and their behaviors, more understanding of the world can be found!
Facts
Given that this species of dragonfly is still relatively new, there is little concrete information on them. While there may be similarities to other species, it would not do justice to the yet-to-be-discovered facts about the Christened Red-rumped Hawklet. There is a little bit of information however as a result of its discovery.
The habitat is of course one of the most prevalent pieces of information. The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet resides in Wayanad District in India. This species has yet to be found elsewhere in the world, meaning it is most likely native to this area. The geography of this region is mostly forest with small ponds and bodies of water perfect for it. These dragonflies live in these marsh-like areas, often living in the ponds around the base of the forests. They also nest in foliage and shrubs that are on water. Water is very important to the life cycle of dragonflies!
The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet has a very short active period. One of the difficulties of discovering this species is how little they are out! The dragonflies often leave their nesting period during the monsoon season. In southern India, this occurs in October. With a monsoon season only a month long, this makes the dragonfly active period to be very short. These dragonflies will typically leave their homes in the water in early October and go away at the beginning of November. The water is where they will spend their larval stage of development and growth.
Summary
The Christened Red-rumped Hawklet is a relatively new discovery and researchers still have a lot to learn about it! With it being new, different aspects of its behaviors, diet, and other small details are unknown. There are not even many photos of them yet either. This new discovery has impacted the biology community, and it’s sure to give more insight into our world!
