Zographetus Mathewi

Zographetus mathewi Latest News

A team of lepidopterists have identified a new butterfly species in the Western Ghats and named it as Zographetus mathewi.

About Zographetus mathewi

•  It is a newly described skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae and adds a new entry to the genus ZographetusWatson.
• It is the 15th species in this oriental group and the fifth to be recorded from India.
• Its proposed common name is Sahyadri Spotted Flitter in reference to the Western Ghats, locally known as Sahyadri.
• Habitat: The species is endemic to the low-elevation forests of Kerala.

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Features of Zographetus mathewi

• It is part of the Zographetus satwa species-group, characterised by unique features such as wing venation patterns and secondary sexual traits, including swollen forewing veins in males.
• It can be further distinguished by a basal hair tuft on the underside of the forewing, yellow-ochre scaling on the hindwing underside, and distinct genitalia structures in both males and females.
• Butterflies maintain the ecosystem by acting as pollinators, prey, biological pest control, induce genetic variation in plants, and enhance environmental beauty.
• These are valuable indicators of the environment, whose health can influence their presence, abundance, and diversity.

Source: TH