In November 2024, A team of researchers have discovered Koima, a new genus of freshwater fish endemic to the Western Ghats. This genus includes 2 known species – Mesonoemacheilus remadevii and Nemacheilus monilis, which were previously assigned under the genus Nemacheilus.
- The fish named Mesonoemacheilus remadevii and Nemacheilus monilis are now renamed as Koima remadevii and Koima monilis respectively. Both species are found in the tributaries of the Cauvery river.
- The research was published in the leading international taxonomy journal Zootaxa.
About Koima:
The generic name, Koima was derived from Malayalam. It is the vernacular word used for loaches.
- Koima remadevii is only known from its type locality in the Kunthi river inside Silent Valley National Park, Kerala.
- Koima monilis are found in the tributaries of the Cauvery river, occupying microhabitats ranging from large rivers to small, fast-flowing streams at elevations between 350 and 800 meters(m).
About the new Discovery:
i.The 2 new species were misclassified until now and have now been classified under genus Koima, which is distinguished from other Western Ghats and Indian subcontinent nemacheilids based on a combination of characters.
ii.The new genus was described by V.K. Anoop and Rajeev Raghavan, of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean studies (KUFOS), Kerala, and Neelesh Dahanukar of Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi.
iii.The study employed an integrative approach to re-evaluate the taxonomic status of Mesonoemacheilus remadevii and Nemacheilus monilis, of loaches of the Southern Western Ghats.
iv.The Specimens were collected from the Kunthi, Bhavani, Moyar, Kabini, and Pambar rivers in the Western Ghats.
Points to Note:
i.Koima is distinguished from the other genera of family Nemacheilidae by its unique colour pattern comprising a yellowish-brown ground colour, single row of black spots on lateral line, all fins hyaline, and absence of a uniform banding pattern on dorsal side.
ii.The Nemacheilidae family includes a diverse group of freshwater fish found in Asia and Europe. These species are valued as food sources for local communities and as ornamental fish.
Dicliptera srisailamica: New flowering plant species discovered in Eastern Ghats of AP, Telangana
A team of botanists , led by scientist L. Rasingam, from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI)’s Deccan Regional Centre in Hyderabad(Telangana), has identified a new flower species “Dicliptera srisailamica” in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh(AP) and Telangana. The new species was named after the temple town of Srisailam.
- This new species belongs to the Acanthaceae family, represented globally by 223 known species.
- The Dicliptera genus includes 27 species, 8 of which are endemic to India.
About Dicliptera srisailamica:
i.The new species is an erect herb, reaching up to 90 centimeter(cm), with four-angled stems covered in fine, deflexed hairs when young.
ii.The leaves of the herb are ovate, with prominent veins and smooth margins.
iii.The plant has small, pink, bi-lipped flowers arranged in clusters. The flower blooms from October to January.
