Daily Current Affairs / Ice Age-era dragonfly rediscovered in Western Ghats:
Category : Science and Tech Published on: September 01 2025
Researchers have reconfirmed the presence of the elusive dragonfly species Crocothemis erythraea in the high-altitude regions of the southern Western Ghats. The species, often mistaken for the widespread Crocothemis servilia, had been overlooked in past surveys. The study, led by odonatologist Kalesh Sadasivan and published in the International Journal of Odonatology, revealed that C. erythraea first reached southern India during the Pleistocene Ice Age when cooler climates allowed its expansion. Intensive surveys from 2019–2023 confirmed that both species coexist in the region, making this rediscovery scientifically significant for biodiversity records in India.