Soliga ecarinata: New genus of wasp named after Soliga community in Karnataka

Source: The post is based on the article “New genus of wasp named after Soliga community in Karnataka” published in The Hindu on 30th January 2023.

What is the News?

The scientific community has named a new genus of wasp after the Soliga community.

What is Soliga ecarinata?

Soliga ecarinata is a new wasp that belongs to the subfamily Metopiinae of the Darwin wasps family Ichneumonidae.

Scientists have named this wasp species after the Soliga community.

This is the second genus of this subfamily reported from India and the first from South India.

Who are Soligas?

Soligas are the indigenous community situated in the Biligiri Rangan Hills (B.R. Hills) in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka.

Soligas were dependent on hunting and shifting agriculture traditionally.

They are considered the first settlers of India. Their home, Biligiri Rangan Hills (B.R. Hills) was among the first areas to be declared a wildlife sanctuary in India in 1974.

In 2011, when the region was declared a tiger reserve, the Soligas were the first community to win resident rights in a tiger reserve.

Where is Biligiri Rangan Hills(B.R.Hills)?

Biligiri Rangan Hills (B.R.Hills) is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu (Erode District).

It falls under the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.

The unique geographical positioning and diversity of habitats make BR Hills one of the richest areas for biodiversity in India.