Western Ghats Odonata Odyssey: Status and Distribution of Odonates of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India

The 1600 km long mountain chain along the west coast of India, the Western Ghats of India, is one of the global biodiversity hotspots. A biogeographically important region, the Ghats are known to host a wide range of endemic species including several odonate species (dragonflies & damselflies). Around 222 species are reported from the Western Ghats of which 95 species are endemic to this region. In order to assess contemporary Odonata diversity across the Ghats, we conducted the first-ever extensive field study on odonates across the Western Ghats. We surveyed 144 localities, across the five states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala) of the Ghats between 2021–2023. The survey yielded a list of 143 odonates (dragonflies = 76, damselflies = 67), of which 40 species were endemic to the Western Ghats. We recovered about 65% of the Western Ghats odonates during our surveys. Extensive Odonata data collection on the diversity and distribution is scarce in tropical countries. Therefore, our study adds value in current literature, fills an important gap, and lays the foundation for prioritizing Odonata rich areas for conservation.