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Enthusiasts record rare dragonflies in Kerala

KOCHI: The lockdown proved an interesting time for dragonfly enthusiasts who organized a month-long Lockdown Odonata watch which recorded 95 species including rare and endemic ones. This is the first time that the society is getting such live data across Kerala simultaneously. Normally, they organize training camps and field outings in different places at different times of the year.




What started off as an enthusiasts’ activity ended up as a beehive of information on dragonflies in the state. Organized by Society For Odonate Studies (SOS), the activity revealed many interesting findings. Some of the participants recorded more than 20 species to as many as 64 in their neighbourhood.

“Members were requested to share pictures or checklist of odonata from their neighborhoods. A total of 95 species were recorded including many rare and endemic species. There were altogether 326 entrees from 60 observers from across the state including common folk, students, teachers, doctors, engineers, public servants, researchers etc,” said Sujith V Gopalan, conservation biologist and one of the lead members of SOS. The month-long exercise was conducted through the dragonflies of Kerala Facebook forum, social media arm of SOS.

The rationale behind choosing May is because it is the beginning of a new season for the dragonflies as summer rains beckon them when the parched lands get wet. Normally in May, the ‘odonutters’ (as the serious dragonfly watchers prefer to be called) rush to the wetlands and forested streams to look for the newborn dragonflies.

Reji Chandran from Thiruvananthapuram, an avid odonata enthusiast documented 64 species including many rare dragonflies like the Myristica swamp associated Myristica Sapphire (Calocypha laidlawi). Sujith V Gopalan, noted 51 species including Forest Spreadwing (Lestes dorothea) a recent addition to the Kerala checklist when he was home in Idukki.

The naturalist community of Kerala watched in awe when Rison Thumboor, a seasoned odonata watcher, documented a juvenile Hemicordulia asiatica right from his backyard in Thumboor near Chalakkudy, Thrissur. This rare and elusive dragonfly was re-discovered after a gap of 80 years from Periyar Tiger Reserve a couple of years ago by the studies conducted by SOS and Rison’s observations have thrown further light into the life history of this beautiful insect.

Other interesting findings were Giant Clubtail (Megalogomphus hannyngtoni) by Nithya S V from Punalur, Kollam, Goan Shadowdancer (Idionyx gomantakensis), a species recently described from Goa, observed by Thomson Saburaj from Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram.

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