A team of entomologists has discovered a rare blue ant, named Paraparatrechina neela, in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The find, part of the Siang Valley biodiversity resurveys, highlights the unique fauna of the Eastern Himalayas and sparks interest in its ecological roles and evolutionary traits.
A stunning blue ant has been discovered in Yingku village in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India that is nothing like the common red, black, or brown ants. This new
Historical Context of Biodiversity Surveys
The ant was found during an expedition to Siang valley in Arunachal Pradesh to resurvey its biodiversity after the century-old ‘Abhor expedition’. The original Abor expedition from the period of colonial rule in India was a punitive military expedition against the indigenous people there in 1911-1912. A scientific team also accompanied the military expedition, to document the natural history and geography of the Siang Valley.
Тhis expedition encountered several challenges, including hostile terrain, difficult weather conditions, and resistance from local tribes. Despite the challenges, it managed to explore and map large parts of the Siang Valley region, cataloging every plant, frog, lizard, fish, bird & mammal, and insect they found, with the discoveries published in several volumes from 1912 to 1922 in the Records of the Indian Museum.
Contemporary Resurveys in Siang Valley
Now, a century later, a team of researchers from ATREE and a documentation team from Felis Creations Bangalore have embarked on a series of expeditions under the banner “Siang Expedition,” to resurvey and document the biodiversity of the region. This expedition was funded by the National Geographic Society through the wildlife-conservation expedition grant.
Environmental and Ecological Concerns
“Nestled within a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang Valley presents a world of unparalleled diversity, much of it yet to be explored. However, this very richness, both cultural and ecological, faces unprecedented threats. Large-scale infrastructure projects like dams, highways, and military installations, along with climate change, are rapidly altering the valley. The impact extends beyond the valley itself, as these mountains play a critical role not only in sustaining their own diverse ecosystems but also in ensuring the well-being of millions of people living downstream,” said Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, corresponding author of the paper.
Physical Characteristics and Rarity of Blue Coloration
Paraparatrechina neela is a small ant with a total length of less than 2mm. Its body is predominantly metallic blue, except for the antennae, mandibles, and legs. The head is subtriangular with large eyes, and has a triangular mouthpart (mandible) featuring five teeth. This species has a distinct metallic blue colour that is different from any other species in its genus.
Blue is relatively rare in the animal kingdom. Various groups of DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1203.114168