An international team of scientists and naturalists has described a completely new genus and species of tiger moth found in Kerala. Belonging to the tiger moth subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae), the species, now named Antaram idukki, was discovered in the state’s Idukki district. According to the study’s lead author, Aparna Sureshchandra Kalawate of the Zoological Survey of India, the insect is so distinct that it cannot be placed in any known genus of tiger moths.
“We collected this specimen from Idukki in 2024, but it didn’t match any known tiger moth genus from India,” says Kalawate. “After conducting a detailed morphological analysis, I contacted Alberto Zilli, curator at the Natural History Museum, London, and co-author of the paper, asking him to compare it with genera across the entire subfamily. It took him five to six months to complete the assessment, and he eventually confirmed that it did not match any known genus. That’s when we concluded we were looking at a new genus.”
Typically taxonomists discover species so discovering an an entirely new genus, a rank in the biological classification system that is above species, is a rare finding.
The researchers named the new genus Antaram and the species Antaram idukki. It differs in its body structure and reproductive anatomy from all known tiger moth groups. The team collected only a single male specimen from Idukki district in the southern Western Ghats. They say this could indicate that the species is either extremely rare or has simply escaped detection, as moth diversity in the Western Ghats remains poorly documented.
The paper describes the moth as having an unusual pattern of strongly wavy dark bands across its forewings, unlike most Indian tiger moths. The scientists note that two common moths in Kerala belonging to the genus Mangina look remarkably similar, and hypothesise that the new species may have evolved to resemble these more common moths to avoid predation.
The researchers relied solely on morphological evidence because only a single male specimen was available. “DNA analysis would have provided an additional line of evidence, but with just one specimen, our study was limited,” Kalawate says. “We can’t yet determine its conservation status or even say whether it is endemic to the Western Ghats or Kerala. It’s too early. We need more specimens and further studies.”
Banner image: Antaram idukki, discovered in Kerala’s Idukki district. Image by Md. Jafer Palot.
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