The New Species discovery in India

Context

In 2023, India witnessed the discovery of 641 new species, comprising both plants and animals. This marks a significant contribution to biodiversity science and conservation efforts in the country.

Key Findings:

Plant Discoveries:

Notable discoveries include Curcuma kakchingense, a new species of turmeric found in Manipur, and Asystasia venui, a flowering plant discovered in West Bengal.
West Bengal led in new plant discoveries with 52 taxa, followed by Kerala and Uttarakhand.
The discoveries encompass wild relatives of horticultural, agricultural, medicinal, and ornamental plants, enriching India's botanical diversity.

Animal Discoveries:

Significant animal discoveries include Capra himalayensis, distinguishing the Himalayan Ibex from the Siberian Ibex, and Miniopterus srinii, a new species of bat found in Karnataka.
Kerala reported the highest number of new animal species with 101 additions, followed by West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Invertebrates dominated with 564 new species, particularly insects (369 species), while vertebrates accounted for 77 discoveries, primarily fish species.

Regional Contributions:

Southern states like Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu recorded the most new species discoveries, emphasizing the region's biodiversity richness.
The Western Ghats and North Eastern Regions were highlighted as hotspots contributing 14% of the total new discoveries.

Scientific Publications:

The Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical Survey of India published annual reports documenting these discoveries—'Animal Discoveries 2023' and 'Plant Discoveries 2023', respectively.
These publications underscore India's ongoing efforts in taxonomy and conservation biology.
Fauna of India Checklist Portal: Launched by the Environment Minister, this portal provides comprehensive information on all known animal taxa in India, covering 36 phyla and over 1,04,561 species.
It includes endemic, threatened, and scheduled species, supporting biodiversity conservation initiatives nationwide.