Entomologists from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have identified a new species of wasp in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka.
The species, named Taeniogonalos deepaki, honors Deepak Deshpande, a medical doctor and nature enthusiast who collected the specimen.
Characteristics and Behavior
Taeniogonalos deepaki was discovered in the Belgaum region. It belongs to a group of parasitoids, specifically hyperparasitoids, which exhibit unique growth patterns by living inside other insects. These hyperparasitoids, akin to spies in the insect world, infiltrate other parasitoids. Trigonalyidae is the family to which these insects belong.
Research and Publication
The study was carried out by Femi Ezhuthupallickal Benny, A.P. Ranjith, and Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, scientists from ATREE Bengaluru. Their findings have been published in the latest issue of the international journal Zootaxa.
Significance and Further Research
The discovery of Taeniogonalos deepaki adds to the seven known species of Taeniogonalos in India. Furthermore, the paper describes the male of Taeniogonalos eurysoma for the first time, previously only known from its female counterpart in China.
The researchers emphasize the need for extensive taxonomic studies on the Trigonalyidae family to unveil more species in the future.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers:
- Who discovered the new species of wasp in Karnataka’s Western Ghats?
- A) Femi Ezhuthupallickal Benny
- B) A.P. Ranjith
- C) Deepak Deshpande
- D) Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan
- What is the name of the newly discovered wasp species?
- A) Taeniogonalos eurysoma
- B) Taeniogonalos deepaki
- C) Trigonalyidae
- D) Belgaumensis deepakii
- Which family do the newly discovered wasp species belong to?
- A) Trigonalyidae
- B) Vespidae
- C) Formicidae
- D) Ichneumonidae
- Where was the male of Taeniogonalos eurysoma collected from?
- A) Karnataka
- B) China
- C) Arunachal Pradesh
- D) Belgaum