lucknow, Dec. 29 -- In what experts say is the first scientific documentation of a butterfly species in the state, Uttar Pradesh has spotted its first forest hopper butterfly. The observation was made by Aqsa Jaseem, a Ph.D. scholar at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), during field surveys at Sekha Jheel of Aligarh. Forest hoppers are found in Southeast Asia. Naveen Kumar Shakhya, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Aligarh, said: "First-time records of the insect species from Uttar Pradesh highlight the ecological value of wetlands like Sekha Jheel. Scientific documentation strengthens the case for sustained habitat protection and ecological monitoring." The sighting occurred in the course of an ongoing Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone) conservation project. During these surveys, the butterfly was spotted in soil-dominated patches and adjoining grassland microhabitats. The species, characterised by its dark brown to chocolate-coloured wings, conforms to the diagnostic traits of forest-associated lycaenid butterflies. "Although the species has been reported from other parts of India, no peer-reviewed literature or regional checklist has previously documented its occurrence in UP," said Vipin Kapoor Saini, a wildlife biologist at Dudhwa National Park. Aqsa Jaseem said the discovery underscores the underexplored entomological diversity of the Ganga-Yamuna Doab, particularly within wetland landscapes....