Species Discoveries

Sri Lankan Turquoise-blue Cruiser
Macromia weerakooni
​Sumanapala, 2021

This species was first discovered back in 2015 when a male specimen collided with a vehicle was found. It was recognized as an undescribed species and further surveys were conducted to locate more individuals. However, as these surveys were unsuccessful, it was described in 2021 based on the single male specimen which shows multiple diagnostic characters which conclusively separated it from other Macromia in the region. 
The specimen was named in honour of Prof. Devaka Weerakoon of University of Colombo.
The discovery was published in the International Journal of Odonatology (pdf).

Sri Lanka Ornate Ground Tarantula
Chilobrachys jonitriantisvansicklei
Nanayakkara, Sumanapala and Kirk, 2019

The first species I formally involved in discovering. 
I first encountered a juvenile of Sri Lanka Ornate Ground Tarantula in a lowland rainforest patch in the wet zone of the country while conducting a research on primates in 2012. I continued to observe the species in its natural habitat for couple of years and photographed an adult female concluding it is indeed a new species to science.
Later it was studied in detail by my colleague Ranil Nanayakkara, an expert on Sri Lankan Theraphosidae and formally described in 2019 in a paper published in the Journal of British Tarantula Society.

The discovery was widely reported in both global and local media. 

National Geographic
Smithsonian Mag
​Mongabay
Novataxa

Sunday Observer
​The Sunday Morning

Species Rediscoveries

Sri Lanka Emerald Spreadwing
Sinhalestes orientalis (Hagen, 1862)

This elusive damselfly was first collected in 1858 at Ramboda, Sri Lanka and was described in 1862. Since then there have been no reliable record of the species despite some targeted surveys carried out. I encountered a female Sinhalestes at Peak Wilderness Sanctuary in 2012 and after subsequent expeditions to the area and observing a male specimen, confirmed it to be the long lost Sinhalestes orientalis with the support of Odonata expert Matjaz Bedjanic.
The rediscovery was published in 2013 as a research paper and the story behind its rediscovery was reported in media as well.

Sunday Times
​Lost and Found blog

Tiger Beetle Jansenia laeticolor Horn, 1904

Tiger Beetles were introduced to me by my friend Agasthya Thotagamuwa, a postgraduate student in University of Colombo at that time. Agasthya and his mentors were carrying out an islandwide tiger beetle survey and I assisted them in that task.
While conducting field work in Bundala, I photographed this particular tiger beetle and it was collected and identified by Agasthya as an endemic species not known for over 100 years despite previous islandwide surveys.
This discovery was later published as a paper in the Cicindela, a journal dedicated to tiger beetle studies around the globe. This photograph is the only known living image of the species.

Flint's Cruiser Macromia flinti Lieftinck 1977

Flint’s Cruiser is one of the rarest known dragonflies in Sri Lanka. It was described in 1977 based on a single male specimen and has never been recorded during the 50 years following its original collection. Thus it was considered a globally Critically Endangered and even possibly extinct species.
We observed an ovipositing Macromia during a biodiversity survey in Dabar Estate, Deraniyagala and a closer examination of this female revealed that it agrees well with the holotype and description of Macromia flinti. Later examination of our Odonata image collection revealed more observations which we could not conclusively identify before this. The re-discovery was published with first live photographs of the species and a description of its female. 

Sri Lankan Clubtail
Anisogomphus ceylonicus  (Hagen in Selys, 1878)

This rare dragonfly was first collected in 1859, it was only known from the original collection and another collection record made a century after in 1962. 
In February 2021, we were surveying the habitats around Haputhale during our surveys on the Odonata of Sri Lanka and came to a stream at Nikapotha in Beragala-Wellawaya road. I was looking for adult odonates first and then used a small hand net to survey any odonate larvae in the habitat. After a couple of scoops, this unusual looking larva was collected in the net. While examining close-up images taken in the field it was revealed that it matches well with the larvae of Sri Lankan Clubtail and thus rediscovering it after nearly 60 years since its last known record.