As per ‘Animal Discoveries 2016, New Species and Records’, brought out by the Zoological Survey of India and ‘Plant Discoveries 2016’, by the Botanical Survey of India, 499 new species of animals and plants (313 species of animal and 186 of plants) have been discovered from various areas of India last year.
New Animal Species:
Of the new animal species, 258 are invertebrates and 55 vertebrates.As many as 97 species of insects, 27 of fish, 12 species of amphibians, 10 of Platyhelminthes, nine of Crustacea and six of reptiles have been discovered.
- Kailash Chandra, Director of Zoological Survey of India said most of the new species were from the four biological hotspots of the country — the Himalayas, the northeast, the Western Ghats and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- At 100693, for the first time, the number of animal species in the country, including protozoa, has crossed one lakh.
New Plant Species:
Along with 186 new species, scientists have discovered seven new genera, four subspecies and nine new varieties from India, taking the number to 206.
- The geographical distribution of the new plant species reveals that most discoveries were made in the Western Ghats (17%), followed by the Eastern Himalayas (15%), the Western Himalayas (13%), the Eastern Ghats (12%) and the west coast (8%).
- It is to be noted that India is one of the 17 megadiversity countries and has about 6.42% of the global fauna.
Quick Facts about Zoological Survey of India:
- Formation Year: 1916
- Objective: To promote the survey, exploration and research of the fauna in India
- Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
- Current Director: Kailash Chandra
Quick Facts about Botanical Survey of India:
- Formation Year: 1890
- Objective: Exploring the plant resources of the country and identifying plant species with economic virtue.
- Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
- Current Director: Dr. Paramjit Singh
