The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have recently released publications highlighting the remarkable faunal and floral discoveries made in India in 2022. These discoveries contribute to expanding India’s biodiversity database and shed light on previously unknown species and new distributional records.
Faunal Discoveries:
India witnessed the addition of 664 animal species to its faunal database in 2022. Among these, 467 were newly discovered species, while 197 were species recorded in India for the first time. The country also documented 339 new plant taxa, including 186 new species and 153 new distributional records.
Mammalian Marvels:
The faunal discoveries include three new mammal species and two new bird records. Notably, Meghalaya became home to two bat species: Miniopterus phillipsi, a long-fingered bat, and Glischropus meghalayanus, a bamboo-dwelling bat. These findings contribute to our understanding of the diverse bat species in the region. Another exciting mammal discovery is the Sela macaque (Macaca selai), a new macaque species found in the western and central parts of Arunachal Pradesh. It was named after the Sela Pass, where it was first observed.
Plant Marvels:
The Plant Discoveries 2022 publication showcases 339 new taxa added to the Indian flora. These include 319 new plant species and 20 infraspecific taxa. The enumeration comprises 125 angiosperms, one gymnosperm, five pteridophytes, 19 bryophytes, 55 lichens, 99 fungi, 27 algae, and nine microbes.
Exploring New Genera:
The plant discoveries unveil new genera that contribute to the understanding of India’s botanical diversity. Nandadevia Pusalkar, a genus found throughout the foothills and warm outer valleys of the Uttarakhand Himalayas, stands out among the new discoveries. Another noteworthy genus is Nilgiriella Pusalkar, endemic to the southern Western Ghats of India, specifically distributed in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Orchid Discoveries:
Among the remarkable plant records, Calanthe lamellosa, previously documented in China and Myanmar, was discovered for the first time in India. This beautiful orchid species was found in the Japfu mountain range in Kohima, Nagaland. The inclusion of this orchid in the Indian flora expands our knowledge of its distribution and highlights the rich orchid diversity within the country.
Importance of Documentation:
The faunal discoveries are documented in the publication “Animal Discoveries – New Species and New Records 2023” by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), while the plant discoveries are contained in “Plant Discoveries 2022” published by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). These publications play a crucial role in cataloging and understanding India’s biodiversity, contributing to conservation efforts and scientific research.
