Researchers have discovered a new species of insect belonging to the thrips family inside the flowers of a tropical plant. This finding was made during an exploratory expedition in the Western Ghats, a region in Karnataka known for its high biodiversity.
The new species, officially named Trachynotothrips vyaghravahini, was identified by scientists while studying the local flora. The discovery was made jointly by the Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences and the National Bureau of Agricultural Pests. The team collected these tiny insects from the flowers of the Lagerstroemia tree while researching the Pilikula Nisargadama reserve in Dakshina Kannada.
When choosing a name for their microscopic discovery, the scientists referred to the rich local history of the region. They selected the name vyaghravahini, which originates from the ancient Sanskrit words 'vyaghra' (tiger) and 'vahini' (flowing river). This name is a direct reference to the location where the insect was found—Pilikula, which is historically known as a river frequented by wild tigers.
Since thrips are typically only one or two millimeters long, the team preserved the collected samples, placed them on glass slides, and examined them under powerful microscopes. Detailed observation showed that the new insect possesses unique physical characteristics that clearly distinguish it from its closest known relatives in the family Trachynotothrips. Unlike similar species, the newly discovered Trachynotothrips vyaghravahini has a uniformly pale midsection without brown stripes and completely pale hind legs. Furthermore, it lacks the characteristic spiny hairs along the sides of the abdomen and differs in the structure of microscopic bristles on the underside of the body compared to other members of its genus.
This finding highlights the incredible yet often underestimated biodiversity of the Western Ghats, which is recognized globally as one of the eight most biodiverse hotspots. Although most people may not notice these tiny insects, the discovery of new species, such as the 'tiger river' thrips, helps scientists better understand the complex biological relationships between insects and plants in fragile ecosystems. In addition to this new species, the research group documented the first sighting in India of another species of thrips previously known only from Japan and China, thereby proving that the dense forests of the Western Ghats still hold many natural secrets waiting to be revealed.
