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In a major scientific discovery, a Mumbai-based doctor, Dr Dattaprasad Sawant, formerly associated with KEM Hospital, along with a team of wildlife researchers, has identified seven new species of damselflies in the biodiverse Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The findings have been published in the reputable scientific journal Zootaxa.The research was authored by Dr Dattaprasad Sawant, Shantanu Joshi, Ujwala Pawar, Fahim Khan, Viraj Nawge, and Krushnamegh Kunte. 

Calicnemia mimumkoa – Epsilon Oread. Pics/Dr Dattaprasad Sawant

Survey begins

The discovery is the result of extensive faunistic surveys conducted in the region since 2022. The breakthrough began when researcher Shantanu Joshi spotted unusual Calicnemia damselflies in the Siang Valley. Initially believed to be previously documented species, detailed anatomical comparisons later revealed they were new to science. As the team expanded its collections, the number of new Calicnemia species rose to six, including a specimen collected earlier in Nagaland in 2014. 

Dr Dattaprasad Sawant

Detailed study

Confirming the discoveries required careful comparisons with known species across neighbouring regions. As photographs of several species were unavailable, researchers spent nearly two months creating detailed illustrations of all 23 known Calicnemia species to highlight 
subtle differences.

Dr Sawant said, “This is truly a landmark contribution, possibly the first publication in 21st-century Indian odonatology to describe seven new species from a single family in one paper.”

The study also describes a new Coeliccia species, the largest among Indian members of the genus.

Why the discovery matters

. Dragonflies and damselflies are the top insect predators
. Help control mosquito and small insect populations
. Their presence indicates healthy freshwater ecosystems
. Life cycle depends on clean water habitats

Calicnemia ardena – Fiery Oread 

Species discovered

Calicnemia ardena Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Fiery Oread (for orange spots on head)
Calicnemia arunachala Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Broad-striped Oread (for broad stripes on thorax) Calicnemia flavovittata Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Yellow-striped Oread (for yellow stripes on thorax)
Calicnemia mimumkoa Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Epsilon Oread (for ‘e’-shaped genitalia)
Calicnemia naga Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Tiger Oread (for yellow and black bands on face)
Calicnemia rubromacula Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Red-spotted Oread (for red spot on abdomen)
Coeliccia magna Sawant, Joshi & Kunte, 2026 – Greater Sylvan (for the largest size in Indian Sylvans)

2022
Year when researchers began surveys in the region

India is now a global hotspot

. 23 species are known in the genus Calicnemia worldwide
. 14 species found in India, the highest for any country
. Discovery strengthens India’s status as a biodiversity hotspot