Archive · 24 May 2025
Rare Clearwing Moth Species Discovered in India's Buxa Tiger Reserve
Scientists found a new kind of moth in India called Scoliokona.
It looks like a clearwing moth and was only known to live in Southeast Asia.
Two people found it while studying butterflies in a forest and initially thought it was a wasp.
They contacted a moth expert to confirm it.
This finding is significant because it shows that scientists are still learning about the types of moths in India.
Moths are pollinators, and this discovery highlights the need to protect their habitats.
A clearwing moth species, Scoliokona, was recorded for the first time in India.
The moth was spotted in the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
The species was previously documented in Southeast Asia.
The discovery was made during a butterfly diversity project.
Experts confirmed the identification with the help of Professor Axel Kallies.
- Who
- Arjan Basu Roy and Sanjay Sondhi discovered the moth.
- What
- Discovery of a previously undocumented clearwing moth species.
- When
- The moth was discovered in 2022; the discovery was published in a journal.
- Where
- Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India
- Why
- The discovery highlights the limited knowledge of moth biodiversity.
- Genus
- Scoliokona
- Location
- Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal
- Discovery Year
- 2022
- Previous Locations
- Myanmar, South China, Vietnam, Malaysia
- Publication Journal
- Tropical Lepidoptera Research
- Specimen Location
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru