683 species added to India’s fauna, 433 taxa to its flora during 2024, Pg14

Context

• India has documented 683 new faunal species and 433 floral taxa in 2024. 
• These findings, announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, reflect the country's rich biodiversity and the vital role of ecological hotspots like the Western Ghats and Northeast India in species discovery.

Key Highlights

• 683 faunal species added in 2024, including 459 new species and 224 new records.
• 433 floral taxa added, comprising 410 new species and 23 infra-specific taxa.
• Kerala, Karnataka, and Arunachal Pradesh led in faunal discoveries.
• Western Ghats and Northeast India contributed to 35% of total floral discoveries.
• Significant discoveries include new reptile genera, orchid species, and species named after public figures like Leonardo DiCaprio.

Detailed Insights

• Kerala recorded the highest faunal discoveries with 101 species (80 new species, 21 new records).
• Karnataka followed with 82 species (68 new species, 14 new records).
• Kerala led in floral discoveries as well with 58 species.
• Maharashtra followed with 45 floral discoveries. Uttarakhand contributed 40 floral taxa.
• New floral taxa included 154 angiosperms, 4 pteridophytes, 15 bryophytes, 63 lichens, 156 fungi, 32 algae, and 9 microbes.
• Dravidoseps gouensis, a new reptile genus, was discovered.
• Anguiculus dicaprioi, a snake from the Colubridae family, was named after Leonardo DiCaprio.
• Significant orchids discovered include Bulbophyllum gopalianum, Coelogyne tripurensis, Gastrodia indica, and Gastrodia sikkimensis.
• India’s total documented floral diversity now stands at 56,177 species.

Key Concepts Involved

• New species: Previously undocumented organisms newly discovered through research.
• New record: Species found for the first time in India but known globally.
• Angiosperms, pteridophytes, bryophytes: Major plant divisions representing flowering plants, ferns, and mosses respectively.
• Biodiversity hotspot: A biologically rich but threatened ecological region.