Two New Solitary Bee Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Key facts

• Two new solitary bee species, Elaphropoda triangulata and Habropoda adi, have been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The species were identified by researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru.
• Elaphropoda triangulata is named after triangle-shaped markings on its abdomen, while Habropoda adi is named after the Adi indigenous community.
• The discovery highlights that 65 of the 483 new species recorded in India last year were from Arunachal Pradesh.
• Solitary bees are vital pollinators and have become a focus of global research and conservation.
• The specimens were collected during the Siang Expedition in 2023, which aimed to re-survey the biodiversity of the Siang Valley.
• Researchers expressed concern that rapid infrastructural development in Arunachal Pradesh, including a hydropower project, may disturb habitats that have not been comprehensively surveyed.