New Blue Ant Species Discovered in Arunachal's Siang Valley

A unique blue ant species, Paraparatrechina neela, has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh's Siang Valley, a biodiversity hotspot. Researchers from ATREE and Felis Creations found the ant during their Siang Expedition. The discovery, detailed in ZooKeys, raises intriguing questions about the species' ecological interactions.

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have identified a striking new blue ant species, Paraparatrechina neela, in the biodiversity-rich Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Known for its unique metallic blue coloration, the ant was found during an extensive expedition by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in collaboration with Felis Creations.

The Valley, a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, was revisited a century after the Abhor Expedition of 1911-12, which first catalogued the region's natural history. The recent Siang Expedition aims to resurvey and document the area's rich flora and fauna, unveiling findings published in the journal ZooKeys.

Paraparatrechina neela stands out for its distinct blue hue, a rarity among the 16,724 known ant species and subspecies. This discovery not only enriches our understanding of the Eastern Himalayas' unique biodiversity but also raises important ecological questions. However, large-scale infrastructure projects and climate change pose significant threats to this fragile ecosystem.

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