Zographetus Mathewi

Zographetus Mathewi :  Recently, in a remarkable discovery highlighting India’s rich biological heritage, a team of lepidopterists identified a new butterfly species named Zographetus Mathewi in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s most critical biodiversity hotspots.

• About Zographetus Mathewi : A newly described species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.

o Proposed common name: Sahyadri Spotted Flitter, paying tribute to the Western Ghats (Sahyadri Hills).

o Scientific Features and Classification: Belongs to the Zographetus satwa species-group, recognized by:

- Distinctive wing venation patterns

- Swollen forewing veins in males (a secondary sexual trait)

- Basal hair tuft on the underside of the forewing

- Yellow-ochre scaling on the hindwing underside

- Unique genital structures in both sexes

- Differentiated from the similar-looking Zographetus ogygia through these traits.

o Endemic to Kerala, specifically the low-elevation forests (<600 m) of the southern Western Ghats.