Kashmiri entomologists discover new insect genus, publish study on rare wasp species

Srinagar, Apr 03: A group comprising two Kashmiri entomologists along with their foreign Belgian collaborator discovered a new insect genus and described a new species of one of the rarest wasps in the world from Kashmir's Himalayan region.

Kashmiri entomologists Deen Mohd and Amir Maqbool and Belgian collaborator Augustijn De Ketelaere made this feat.

In the study published in a reputed journal of animal taxonomy, Zootaxa, a new species of genus Inbioia (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Ichneuomonidae) has been described from the Kashmir Himalayas.

According to the authors, it is the first record of the genus Inbioia from India.  This study is also the first confirmed record of the genus Inbioia from the Palearctic region, significantly expanding its known range. “Our findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to unravel the complexities of Ichneumonid Systematics and biogeography while also shedding light on the potential for discovering novel diversity in less-studied faunal regions,” said Dr Deen Mohd.

“This work underscores the importance of continued taxonomic exploration, especially in areas with scanty documentation, and highlights the potential for unexpected discoveries that can reshape our comprehension of insect diversity and distribution,” said Amir Maqbool.

According to the authors, further   studies incorporating the new species could help elucidate the timing of divergent “events and the historical processes shaping Inbioia’s current distribution and contributing to our broader understanding of parasitoid wasp biogeography.”

The authors added that the discovery of this genus in Kashmir suggests that “Inbioia may be present in other unexplored or underexplored areas of the Palearctic region, particularly in transitional zones between biogeographical realms.”