Itanagar: A rare Spoon-tailed Duskhawker dragonfly (Gynacantha basiguttata) has been photographed for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh.The rare dragonfly was spotted at Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Changlang district.Deputy CM Chowna Mein shared the development in a social media post, describing the discovery as another remarkable chapter in the region’s expanding biodiversity narrative.The dragonfly was initially photographed in Oct 2024 along the Miao-Vijaynagar Road within the Namdapha landscape. It was initially mistaken for another species, but subsequent taxonomic verification confirmed its identity as Gynacantha basiguttata.The documentation adds to India’s official Odonata checklist, which catalogs dragonflies and damselflies, and highlights the vast, unexplored biological wealth hidden deep within Arunachal’s dense forests.Situated in Changlang district, Namdapha is globally celebrated for its diverse flora and fauna, consistently yielding vital wildlife records through continued exploration. Conservationists said the latest finding reinforces the critical need for sustained biodiversity surveys and scientific research across the state’s protected landscapes.Mein said the discovery further strengthened Arunachal Pradesh’s position as one of India’s important biodiversity hotspots.
