Stunning Blue Ant Discovered In Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot
Researchers from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and a documentation team from Felis Creations Bangalore discovered a distinct, stunning blue-coloured ant species in Siang Valley, a biodiversity hotspot of Arunachal Pradesh, under the banner 'Siang Expedition'.
Named Paraparatrechina neela, the species is "nothing like the common red, black, or brown ants," according to ATREE researchers. 'Neela' means blue in many Indian languages, which they said was a "fitting tribute" to the ant's unique colouration.
Paraparatrechina neela, the researchers described, is a small ant and less than two millimetres long, with a predominantly metallic blue body, except for the antennae, mandibles, and legs. The metallic blue is distinct from any other species in its rare genus, Paraparatrechina.