Western Ghats biodiversity: new tiger moth genus Antaram idukki discovered in Kerala’s Idukki

Direct fact

In June 2026, researchers reported a new tiger moth genus and species, Antaram idukki, from Kerala’s Idukki district in the southern Western Ghats, in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society.

Key specifics

• Antaram idukki belongs to the tiger moth subfamily Arctiinae and family Erebidae.
• The study involved ZSI scientists from Pune and Kozhikode, along with Alberto Zilli and Balakrishnan Valappil.
• Antaram is a Sanskrit word meaning “difference”.
• The species is currently known only from Idukki and is described as extremely rare.
• The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the 8 “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity.

Exam lens

Question type: Environment and biodiversity, new genus, Arctiinae, Idukki, Western Ghats hotspot. TNPSC may ask the scientific name, the district, and why discovery of a new genus is significant.