New record of the antlion Palpares contrarius Walker, 1853 (Insecta: Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in Tamil Nadu, India

Neuroptera is a taxon among Insecta, that is distinct with its highly veined transparent wings. The family Myrmeleontidae includes antlions, whose adult forms are occasionally seen, unlike the larval forms that spend most of their life living in small pits in the soil. Madras Christian College (MCC) is a large scrub jungle, harboring a range of flora and fauna, including a diverse range of insect species. An insect, large enough to be mistaken for the large damselfly, was spotted in the Madras Christian College campus. Taxonomic keys were used in literature search and the insect was later identified as Palpares contrarius (Walker, 1853).