India adds 540 species to faunal database.

July 4, 2022

India added 540 species to its faunal database in 2021 taking the total number of animal species to 1,03,258.
Among the new species discovered is one species from mammal, 35 reptiles and 19 species of pisces.
The new mammal species discovered is Crocidura narcondamica, a white toothed shrew, from Narcondam Island of the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands. Among the reptiles discovered in 2021, notable is Boiga whitakeri, or Whitaker’s cat snake, from the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
The most number of new discoveries was from the faunal group Hymenoptera, an order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants, in which 80 species, including one new genus, were discovered.
Scientists from the ZSI had contributed to 68% of the animal discoveries in 2021.
India contributes to 6.1% of faunal diversity in the world.
According to the BSI, regions such as the Western Ghats and the northeastern regions have contributed 28% of the total discoveries.
In State wise analysis, the most number of discoveries were made from Kerala with 51 taxa followed by Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.
Recently, Zoological Survey of India ((ZSI), observed its 107th foundation day on July 1.