''Protosticta sholai'' is a

damselfly Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies (which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Epiprocta) but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the win ...

species in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Platystictidae Platystictidae is a family of damselflies, commonly known as shadowdamsels. They look very similar to the threadtail damselfly family ( Protoneuridae). They can mostly be found throughout Asia, Central America, and South America. Most members of ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to southern Western Ghats in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. The species is named ''

shola A shola is the local name for a patch of stunted Montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical montane forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India, largely in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. These ...

i'' considering the local name of its habitat, montane evergreen forests of South Western Ghats. The genus ''

Protosticta ''Protosticta'' is a genus of shadowdamsels in the damselfly family Platystictidae. There are more than 50 described species in ''Protosticta''. Species These 58 species belong to the genus ''Protosticta'': * '' Protosticta anamalaica'' Sadasiv ...

'' has fifteen species reported from

, of which twelve are known from Western Ghats. It is a black damselfly with blue eyes. Its thorax is black, marked with yellow stripes. Wings are transparent with dark brown

pterostigma The pterostigma (plural: pterostigmata) is a group of specialized cells in the outer wings of insects, which are often thickened or coloured, and thus stand out from other cells. It is particularly noticeable in dragonflies, but present also in ...

. Its abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segments 1 and 2 are yellow laterally. Segments 3 to 8 are with broad yellow basal annules. Segment 8 is with its sides yellow in addition to the basal annule. Segments 9 has yellow spot, laterally. Segment 10 is unmarked. Anal appendages are black with dark brown apices. Female is very similar to the male, but shorter and more robustly built. This species can be distinguished from other ''

'' species based on its blue eyes. It can be distinguished from '' P. monticola'' by the presence of extensive yellow markings on abdominal segments 8–9 and eye coloration. ''P. monticola'' has dorsum of abdominal segments 8–9 metallic black and black capped bluish-green eyes. This species was first observed at Upper Manalar, Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary,

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

. Later it is found in

Periyar National Park Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. It is a renowned elephant and tiger reserve. The protected area encompasses , of which of the main z ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

too.

References

Platystictidae Insects of India Insects described in 2020 {{Coenagrionoidea-stub

See also

References