Sun Jul 13 11:35:10 UTC 2025: **Headline: New Butterfly Species Discovered in India’s Western Ghats, Named After Renowned Entomologist**
**Thiruvananthapuram, July 13, 2025:** A team of researchers has identified a new species of skipper butterfly in the biodiversity hotspot of the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. The butterfly, named *Zographetus mathewi* after entomologist George Mathew, represents a new entry to the *Zographetus* genus, making it the 15th species in the oriental group and the fifth to be recorded from India.
The discovery, published in the journal *Entomon*, was made by scientists from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), the Institute of Tropical Research, Ecology and Conservation (INTREC) Thiruvananthapuram, and the Zoological Survey of India. The species is endemic to the low-elevation forests of Kerala, with larvae observed feeding on the *Aganope thyrsiflora* vine.
While initially mistaken for the similar *Z. ogygia* species, detailed studies of wing venation and genital structures revealed distinct differences, leading to its classification as a new species. “Initially, we thought we had encountered *Zographetus ogygia*, a known species from Western Ghats,” explained Kalesh Sadasivan, lead author and butterfly researcher from TNHS. “But detailed morphological and genitalia studies revealed that this was, in fact, a completely new species.”
The proposed common name for *Z. mathewi* is Sahyadri Spotted Flitter, a reference to the Western Ghats, known locally as Sahyadri. Despite limited sightings of adult butterflies, researchers found multiple larvae and pupae in several forested areas across Kerala. This suggests the species may have a wider distribution within the Western Ghats, though it remains endemic to the region.
First Piper 