Moth spotted in Noklak is not Madagascan—Wildlife researchers

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Aug. 23 (EMN): The recent sighting of a colourful moth in Noklak town has created more than just a gentle flutter, especially after claims that the insect was a Madagascan moon moth — regarded as one of the most beautiful lepidopterans (an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths) on the planet.

On August 22, the DIPR reported that the newly-created Noklak district had a visitor, the Madagascan moon moth, during the dedicatory programme of the deputy commissioner's office chamber the previous day.

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"The Madagascan moon moth is a moth native to the rain forest of Madagascar. Although endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, the Madagascan moon moth has been breed in captivity," the report read.

A photograph of the 'Madagascan moon moth' was also included in the DIPR's daily dispatch.

"The common rearing of silk moth and also having large area of forest covered in the region, Madagascan moon moths are spotted occasionally. The region is also having an Indo-Myanmar hotspot where it has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna," it went on to state.

Subsequently, various news outlets including some local newspapers, had published the sighting on their Sunday editions.

Eastern Mirror consulted some wildlife researchers and biologists, including those who are working in the Northeast, to authenticate the claim.

According to them, the moth sighted and photographed in Noklak town is more likely a Malaysian moon moth, not Madagascan moon moth as claimed.

Rohit George, the project coordinator at ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment) Sikkim, said that it is not a Madagascan moon moth.

The Madagascan moon moth is an endemic species (plants and animals that exist only in one geographical region), he said.

"Not Madagascan, looks like Malaysian moon moth, Actias maenas female," he said.

For reference, George provided the photo of a Malaysian moon moth he had sighted in Shillong, Meghalaya, which he had uploaded to the iNaturalist website.

iNaturalist is an online platform, a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, where wildlife researchers across the globe share their findings and, among others, help identify the species.

Andrew Balurock, a biologist based in New York, said: "It's (the moth spotted in Noklak) 100% an Actias species and not a Madagascan moon moth."

He also said that it could be a 'female Actias maenas, since it is close to Myanmar'.

Another researcher pointed out that Madagascan moon moth has circular eyespots (eye-like markings in some butterflies and moths); while it is crescent on Malaysian moon moth.

According to Satem Longchar, a wildlife researcher currently working in Nagaland, 'Madagascar is an island and it has a unique biodiversity'.

'But south-eastern Asian countries have connectivity with each other, so the biodiversity we get here also has connections with species found in other Southeast Asian countries. Plus, the weather, forest, etc., are quite similar,' she explained.