Rare odonate species found in Western Ghats

A rare odonate species was spotted for the first time in the southern parts of Western Ghats on 5 January 2014.

The species is known to use tree holes as a larval habitat.  The species was found to bred in the tree holes of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests in the southern Western Ghats. Western ghats was a biodiversity hotspot.

Many species of odonates are known to use phytotelmata (plant-held waters), as a breeding habitat worldwide. But no species are known to breed in phytotelmata in India.

Odonates are mainly aquatic insect group and their part of lifecycle completed through aquatic environment.  All rivers with the riparian zones, perennial streams and meadows form key areas of the reserve and provide best opportunity to the odonates to flourish.

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