Rare moth endemic to Western Ghats ‘rediscovered’ in Nilgiris after 132 years

Rare moth endemic to Western Ghats ‘rediscovered’ in Nilgiris after 132 years

At a first glance, Chiretolpis erubescens, a rare moth endemic to the Western Ghats could be considered unremarkable. However, a more nuanced study of the species would remind us of how little is known about the health and continued existence of “lesser-known species” that were recorded to have inhabited the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), and largely been forgotten since.

The species, which was “rediscovered” after 132 years, was photographed for the first time by researchers Samson Arockianathan; N. Moinudheen; A. Abhinesh; R. Mahesh; and N. Sadiq Ali. Their record was recently published in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society titled Rediscovery of Chiretolpis erubescens, A rare moth species in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.

The researchers had to comb through illustrations, produced by Hampson, to identify the species. They say that the moth was recorded in a human-dominated landscape in Coonoor. Described as having an orange head and a thorax, a streaked tibiae, and hair-like scales on its wings, it was first recorded by British entomologist George Francis Hampton in 1891.

“He had collected three specimens, none of which were believed to have survived. There were no photographic records of the species after this record,” Mr. Moinudheen said.

Mr. Arockianathan told The Hindu that “rediscovering” lesser-known species was important to study the impacts that endemic species would have faced in the last Century, owing to the increasing anthropogenic pressures, and to understand if certain species continue to survive in the Western Ghats or have become locally extinct.

“Understanding these species will also help piece together their roles in the ecology of the landscape,” said Mr. Moinudheen, citing the example of Nilgiri fritillary butterfly. “The butterfly relies on species of viola plants that usually populate wetland areas. Any disturbance to these areas, and the disappearance of the plants themselves could lead to the fritillary going extinct,” said Mr. Moinudheen.

“Studying these species and understanding the micro-climates they exist in, their host plants and other facets of their life-cycle and behaviour will help us understand the importance of protecting whatever biodiversity is left in the Nilgiris,” he further said.