New parasitic wasp species found in Assam's Dibru-Saikhowa forest, first record in India
ZSI scientists discovered a new parasitic wasp species, Oxyserphus narendrani, in Assam's Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered an entirely new species of parasitic wasp in the forests of Assam's Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. The new species has been named Oxyserphus narendrani. Notably, this is the first officially recorded occurrence of this rare group of insects in the Oriental biogeographic region.
The discovery is the result of work by researchers Rupam Debnath and Kelloth Rajmohan. In November 2024, the two set up a simple trap with a tray of yellow water in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. Such traps are typically used to attract insects. The specimen found in the trap was later examined closely under a microscope.
The examination revealed that the insect belongs to a previously unknown species of parasitic wasps of the family Proctotrupidae. This entire group of wasps is called "dark taxa", meaning a group of organisms on which very little research has been done so far. Insects of the Oxyserphus genus are also very rarely found in museums around the world.
Oxyserphus narendrani measures just 3.3 millimetres in length. It has a black head, a grayish-black body and bright yellow legs. Since different species of parasitic wasps look almost identical, scientists studied the fine anatomical features of the insect to confirm its identification.
During this process, researchers found a single transverse line on the side of the thorax of this species, which distinguishes it from the species found in Australia. In addition, the egg-laying organ of the Indian species is also comparatively smaller, and the size of the markings on the wings is also different.
The new species has been named after the late Dr. T. C. Narendran, who made a significant contribution to research on parasitic wasps in India. In his honour, it has been named Oxyserphus narendrani. Before this discovery, only eight species of this family had been recorded in India.
The researchers say that if similar extensive surveys are conducted in different parts of the country, many more unknown species linked to insect biodiversity could come to light.
