📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Timothy A. Gonsalves
Science
Centennial Tura butterfly specimen marks India's first record of the species
✍️ The Meghalayan Express
🗓 01 Sep 2026, 08:39 AM
👁 128
A butterfly collected in Tura over a hundred years ago has been identified as the first Indian record of the species, according to researchers.
Researchers have confirmed that a butterfly specimen gathered from Tura in Meghalaya a century ago represents the first documented occurrence of the species in India. The specimen, housed in a regional museum, was re‑examined using modern taxonomic methods, revealing its identity as a species previously known only from neighboring countries.
The original collection took place around 1920 by a naturalist exploring the forested hills of the Garo Hills region. Detailed morphological analysis, complemented by DNA barcoding, matched the specimen to the species *[Species Name]*, confirming its presence in the Indian subcontinent for the first time.
Entomologists say the discovery underscores the value of historic collections in uncovering hidden biodiversity. It also prompts a re‑assessment of the species' distribution, suggesting that similar habitats in northeastern India may host undocumented populations.
The finding will be published in a peer‑reviewed journal, and scientists hope it will stimulate targeted field surveys in Meghalaya and adjacent states to better map the range of this butterfly.
The original collection took place around 1920 by a naturalist exploring the forested hills of the Garo Hills region. Detailed morphological analysis, complemented by DNA barcoding, matched the specimen to the species *[Species Name]*, confirming its presence in the Indian subcontinent for the first time.
Entomologists say the discovery underscores the value of historic collections in uncovering hidden biodiversity. It also prompts a re‑assessment of the species' distribution, suggesting that similar habitats in northeastern India may host undocumented populations.
The finding will be published in a peer‑reviewed journal, and scientists hope it will stimulate targeted field surveys in Meghalaya and adjacent states to better map the range of this butterfly.