India adds 664 animal species to its faunal database in 2022

Central Idea

• India’s faunal database expands with the addition of 664 animal species in 2022.
• The database also includes 339 new plant taxa, comprising new species and distributional records.

Report- New Species and New Records 2023

• The faunal discoveries have been compiled in a publication by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) titled “Animal Discoveries – New Species and New Records 2023.”

[A] Faunal Discoveries

• Major discoveries include new species and records of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

1. Mammals: Three new species and one new record, including two species of bats from Meghalaya.
2. Birds: Two new records, such as the yellow-rumped flycatcher in the Andaman archipelago.
3. Reptiles: Thirty new species and two new records.
4. Amphibians: Six new species and one new record.
5. Fish: Twenty-eight new species and eight new records.

• Invertebrates constitute the majority of new faunal discoveries, with insects comprising 384 species.
• Vertebrates account for 81 species, with fish being the most dominant group.

Notable species

• Sela macaque (Macaca selai): A new macaque species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Macaca leucogenys: A white-cheeked macaque sighted in India for the first time.
• Glischropus meghalayanus: A bamboo-dwelling bat species from Meghalaya.
• Ficedula zanthopygia: The yellow-rumped flycatcher recorded in the Andaman archipelago.

Distribution of New Faunal Discoveries

The fauna diversity of the country increased to 1,03,922 species.

• Kerala: Recorded the maximum number of new species, accounting for 14.6% of all new discoveries.
• Karnataka: Followed with 13.2% of new species and records.
• Tamil Nadu: Contributed 12.6% of all new discoveries and records.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Accounted for about 8.4% of the discoveries.
• West Bengal: Represented 7.6% of the new discoveries.
• Arunachal Pradesh: Contributes 5.7% of the new discoveries.

 [B] Floral Discoveries

• The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) published “Plant Discoveries 2022,” which includes 339 new plant taxa.
• These discoveries consist of new species and distributional records.
• The discoveries encompass seed plants, fungi, lichen, algae, bryophytes, microbes, and pteridophytes.
• Seed plants comprise the majority, with dicotyledons contributing 73% and monocotyledons 27%.
• Western Himalayas and Western Ghats are prominent regions for plant discoveries.
• Kerala recorded the highest number of plant discoveries (57), accounting for 16.8% of all discoveries.
• The plant discoveries include wild relatives of potential horticultural, agricultural, medicinal, and ornamental plants.

Notable Floral Discoveries

• Nandadevia Pusalkar: A genus common in the Uttarakhand Himalayas.
• Nilgiriella Pusalkar: An endemic genus found in the southern Western Ghats.
• Calanthe lamellosa: An orchid species recorded for the first time in India, found in Nagaland.

Conclusion

• By compiling these new discoveries and records, India continues to expand its knowledge of its faunal and floral diversity, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts.