New Delhi: The ant is one of the smallest creatures on this planet and is considered to be the most laborious species in the animal kingdom. There are more than 13,800 species currently known to humans. The number gained a significant spike with the discovery of a new ant species. A new species of this small creature has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s remote region of Siang Valley. The name of the valley has been derived from the mighty Brahmaputra River, which in Arunachal Pradesh is termed the Siang River.
Researchers encountering the new species
The newly discovered species of ant has a bright metallic blue hue and is barely 2 mm long. The researchers encountered the new species while they were performing a survey to document a century-old scientific expedition.
According to researchers, they witnessed a spark in the twilight while they were exploring a tree hole around 10 feet up in a steep cattle track in the remote Yinku village during one evening of their survey in the valley. As it was dimmed, two of the insects were sucked into an aspirator, which was later discovered to be ants.
What new species has been named?
The newly discovered species of the ant has been named Paraparatrechina neela, which has been derived from its blue coloration. Notably, the new discovery comes almost 121 years after the last addition was made to the Paraparatrechina genus.
Researchers who achieved the milestone
The new discovery was reported by Entomologists Dr Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan and Sahanashree R from Bengaluru’s Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in association with Aswaj Punnath from the University of Florida. The researchers published their findings in the open-access journal ZooKeys to describe the remarkable new species.
What inspire the expedition?
Following the century-old ‘Abhor expedition’, a team of experienced researchers embarked on a journey to the Siang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh to re-survey its biodiversity. The historic Abhor expedition was conducted in 1911-1912 as a punitive military exercise under British rule against the indigenous people. Additionally, the expedition also included researchers and scientists to document the natural history, beauty, and geography of the valley. According to history, the researchers faced several challenges, including rough weather, hostile terrain, and resistance from local tribes. However, they managed to document and map a large portion of the valley and study a wide range of flora and fauns. Their discovery about lizards, frog, insects, fish, bird and mammal were published several volumes from 1912 to 1922 in the Records of the Indian Museum.
The newly discovered species of ant has a bright metallic blue hue and is barely 2 mm long. The researchers encountered the new species while they were performing a survey to document a century-old scientific expedition. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
