ARTHROPODA SPECIES SPOTTED IN TELANGANA

Globally, approximately 1.8 million species have been documented to date, with animal species comprising around one million of them, yet countless species remain undiscovered. India is home to an impressive 81,000 animal species, representing about 6.4% of the world’s animal biodiversity, placing it sixth globally. Among these, insects dominate India’s fauna, with around 57,000 species. Telangana, a relatively new state in India, boasts rich biodiversity thanks to its natural features like rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, deciduous forests, red and black soil types, and semi-arid climate. Several insect species found in Telangana are not exclusive to the region but also occur globally. During my field exploration, I identified 12 lesser-known insect species, which are detailed in this presentation. These species include: Phyllomimus elliptifolius, Papilio demoleus, Spirama retorta, Brochymena arborea, Geonemini epicaerus, Glyphodes caesalis, Maruca vitrata, Myrmeleon tenuipennis, Daphnis nerii, Acraea violae, Hippotion rosetta, and Palpares libelluloides. Taxonomically, they fall under various orders: two belong to Neuroptera, seven to Lepidoptera, one to Orthoptera, one to Coleoptera, and one to Hemiptera. These species were primarily observed during the monsoon season, typically from June to September.