New species discovered in Ecuador and Colombia

Researchers in Ecuador and Colombia have announced the discovery of new biological species in their respective regions.

In Ecuador, scientists from the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO) and other institutions identified two new orchid species: Lepanthes berthana and Lepanthes mongei. Found in the El Oro and Imbabura provinces, Lepanthes berthana has already been classified as Critically Endangered. The species exists in only one known population within a small forest remnant in El Oro, which faces threats from mining and the expansion of banana and cacao plantations.

In the Colombian Amazon, specifically in the Guainía department, scientists from the Instituto Humboldt identified a new species of damselfly belonging to the Leucobasis genus. Named Leucobasis puinave in honor of the local Puinave indigenous people, the species was distinguished from its relative, L. candicans, by its specific size and coloration. The naming process involved active participation from the El Remanso community.