Two new species of lichen moths discovered, says Bhupendra Yadav
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said scientists at the Zoological Survey of India have announced the discovery of two new species of lichen moths. “The discovery of Caulocera Hollowayi and Asura Buxa is a vital contribution to the documentation of India’s moth biodiversity,” the minister wrote in a social media post.
He said this success underscores the necessity of sustained taxonomic efforts in biodiversity hotspots like the Himalayas. The findings, published in the prestigious international taxonomic journal Zootaxa, document seven new species records of lichen from India in the same publication.
Lauding the contribution, Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the Zoological Survey of India, said, “Research into evolutionarily significant and lesser-known groups like Lepidoptera is essential for understanding ecosystem functioning and air pollution indicator species of the Indian Himalaya.” The team has identified these species — Caulocerahollowayi, S Singh, N Singh and Bhattacharya, 2026 and Asurabuxa Bhattacharya, S Singh and N Singh, 2026 — from specimens collected near Golitar, Sikkim and Panijhora, West Bengal, respectively.
“The species are distinguished by a unique arrangement of body scales, specific chaetotaxy (bristle patterns) and specialised appendage structures, as well as external morphology like wing colouration and fascia arrangements, differences in the external genitalic structures like uncus, valva, tegumen, juxta and aedeagus. “These moths are indicator species of air pollution,” Banerjee added.
