After 33 years, a New Species of Butterfly Found in the Western Ghats

With hundreds of butterfly species, the Western Ghats mountain area in India is a hotspot for biodiversity. There is now 337 butterflies on the list, thanks to the recent addition of one more butterfly discovered in the Western Ghats. According to a news release dated January 13, the Megamalai division of Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve is home to the newly found “Cigaritis Meghamalaiensis,” a new species of silver line butterfly. The area is called Megamalai, which translates to “cloud mountain,” thus the name of the butterfly. Supriya Sahu, an IAS official, posted a picture of a kind of butterfly on X last week.

“Cigaritis meghamalaiensis,” a new species of Silverline butterfly, has been found by researchers in Tamil Nadu’s Srivilliputhur Tiger Reserve in Megamalai. This new discovery is a blue butterfly,” Sahu stated in the caption. Vanam, an NGO with its headquarters in Theni, was headed by Drs. C.P. Rajkumar, Thiru Ramasamy Kamaya, and Kalesh Sadasivam. A new species of butterfly has been found in the Western Ghats after 33 years. With this finding, the overall number of butterflies in the Western Ghats will increase to 337 species, 40 of which are indigenous to the region and are new to the Tennessee Forest Department.

“Blue butterflies are rare, and when they appear either in person, in dreams, or in repeated synchronistic images, they point you toward joy,” an X user commented on it. It indicates that prosperity is approaching. Kudos, Supriya ji. Your efforts deserve to be acknowledged for your wonderful and honest actions. Another said, “Hello, blue silverline butterfly, welcome to Tennessee. I hope you stay here and grow throughout our beautiful state for a while.”

“It has the false antennae on the wings at rear!” said an X user. Another individual commented, “Wow what an amazingly gorgeous new discovery!!!” with a similar opinion. Its fluffy wings, straight antennae, and connected-looking wings give it a strange appearance more akin to a moth than a butterfly. Its sturdy body further contributes to its moth-like appearance.

“The discal and post-discal bands on the underside of the adult butterfly’s forewing is conjoined and lying parallel from their origin at the costa, which is a unique feature that distinguishes the new species from all other Cigaritis occurring in peninsular India and Sri Lanka,” said Dr. Kalesh Sadasivan, a naturalist involved in the discovery, in an interview with The Times of India.

“The discovery reinforces the possibility of discovering new species which may have sought refuge in the montane sholas and cloud forests, which are under severe anthropogenic stress,” said Dr. CP Rajkumar, the founder of Vanam Trust.