Long lost moth species caught on camera in TN forest

Subject :Environment

Section: Species in news

Concept :

Recently, two researchers from Tamil Nadu have spotted a rare moth species for the first time in India in the buffer zone of Kalakkad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.

Mimeusemiaceylonica

Mimeusemiaceylonica is a moth species belonging to the subfamily Agaristinae and family Noctuidae.
This Moth species was first illustrated and described by English entomologist George Hampson in 1893.
The species was first identified in Sri Lanka.
The species has been rediscovered after 127 years during a moth survey conducted in the year 2020 at the Agasthyamalai Community-based Conservation Centre (ACCC) situated in the buffer zone of KalakadMundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
The spotting of the Moth species in the district has added to the testimony of the rich biodiversity of the region.

Kalakkad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

The KalakadMundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu is one of the protected areas having diverse flora and fauna.
It was declared as the “First Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu” and the 17th Tiger Reserve of the country.
It consists of the Kanyakumari Wildlife sanctuary in the south and the Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary in the North.
The river Thamirabarani originates from this tiger reserve.
The reserve is also known as the “River Sanctuary” with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
Flora: This region has got vegetation types which gradually change from dry thorn forest to dry deciduous, moist deciduous and a patch of West coast wet evergreen forests on the higher reaches of the reserve.
Fauna: Lion Tailed Macaque, NilgiriTahr, Nilgiri Pipit, Grey Headed Bulbul, Blue Winged Parakeet etc.