New Moth Genus Antaram idukki Discovered in Kerala's Idukki District

Exam-focused facts from the 25 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

A new genus and species of tiger moth, named Antaram idukki, has been discovered in the Idukki district of Kerala in the southern Western Ghats.
The species belongs to the subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae) within the order Lepidoptera.
The discovery was made by an international collaborative team including scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Natural History Museum, London.
The research findings were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society.
The discovery occurred in the Western Ghats, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity.