29 Oct 2026 - "Daily Current Affairs" Updates

1. Allocaecilius nilgiriensis: a new barklouse

WHY IN NEWS  The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has discovered and described a new species of barklice named Allocaecilius nilgiriensis.

Where it lives — and why the discovery matters

•  The species was found in the Nilgiri Hills of the southern Western Ghats, across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

•  It inhabits the moist, shaded canopy and understory of high-altitude shola forests and evergreen rainforests.

•  This is only the second recorded occurrence of its genus in India; the discovery raises the global number of known Allocaecilius species to 13.

What barklice do in an ecosystem

Barklice feed on mould, fungi, algae, lichens and dead organic matter on tree bark. By grazing on this material without harming trees, they help keep the bark surface clean.

Identification clues

•  Forewings: brown patches in specific regions toward the wing tips.

•  Male: a specialised, thumb-like structure on the lower abdomen, called the hypandrium.

•  Female: a deeply indented subgenital plate.

MEMORY LOCK   Nilgiri Hills • Western Ghats  |  Shola + evergreen forests  |  13 known species globally  |  Barklice clean bark; they do not harm trees

2. Orange Oakleaf: the dead-leaf butterfly

WHY IN NEWS  The Orange Oakleaf butterfly won a public online poll to become Chhattisgarh’s first officially designated State butterfly.

A butterfly with two appearances

•  Scientific name: Kallima inachus  |  Family: Nymphalidae  |  Range: tropical Asia, from India to Japan.

•  With wings closed, it resembles a dry, withered leaf. With wings open, orange, jet-black and deep velvety blue colours become visible.

Habitat, diet and ecological role

•  It prefers subtropical and temperate forests with dense vegetation and abundant leaf litter, usually at 500–2,000 melevation.

•  It is often seen along riverbanks, shaded forest trails and moist places where fermenting fruit or tree sap is available.

•  Unlike many flower-visiting butterflies, it mainly feeds on fermenting fruits and tree sap; it also displays mud-puddling.

•  It contributes to pollination and its presence can indicate suitable forest habitat because it depends on dense vegetation and leaf litter.

MEMORY LOCK   Kallima inachus • Nymphalidae  |  Closed wings = dry leaf  |  Feeds on fruit + tree sap  |  500–2,000 m

STARTUPS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP  |  GS III

3. National Startup Awards 6.0

WHY IN NEWS  The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched the sixth National Startup Awards.

First understand the award

•  The Awards began in 2019 under Startup India. Their purpose is to recognise entrepreneurial excellence, showcase innovative solutions to critical sectoral challenges and strengthen India’s startup ecosystem.

•  Entries are evaluated for innovation, scalability, sustainability and socio-economic impact.

What changes in the sixth edition?

•  NSA 6.0 seeks participation from more States and Union Territories, especially Tier-2 and Tier-3 startup hubs, and recognises achievements in 20 sectoral categories and 3 special categories.

New sectoral categories named in the source are grouped here for easier recall:

•  Industry & manufacturing: biomanufacturing; consumer industries; defence and security; electronics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.

•  People & livelihoods: rural economy, traditional industries and livelihoods; education and skilling; sports, fitness and sports-tech; travel, tourism and hospitality.

•  Frontier and mobility: future mobility and automotive; ocean and blue economy; space-tech, drones and aerospace; telecom, connectivity and digital infrastructure.

Special awards and what winners receive

•  Three special categories: Women-Led Startups; Startups from the North-Eastern Region; Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur.

•  Winners in each of the 20 sectoral categories and the two startup-focused special categories are eligible for ₹25 lakh per category.

•  The Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur award has a ₹25-lakh total prize pool, shared among four sub-categories.

•  Support beyond cash includes mentorship, investor engagement, market access, industry partnerships and visibility.

MEMORY LOCK   DPIIT • Started in 2019  |  20 sectoral + 3 special categories  |  ₹25 lakh per eligible winning category  |  4 evaluation criteria