Nasikabatrachus bhupathi inhabits the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, near the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. The discovery is significant as it constitutes additional evidence in favour of the theory of continental drift.
Photo: Janani S. J.
Drypetes kalamii: Named after Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the plant was discovered in West Bengal. It is found in the wet, shaded areas of subtropical, moist semi-evergreen forests, at heights of 50-100 metres.
Photo: Special Arrangement
A new species of water strider, Ptilomera nagalanda, was found in the river Intanki, in Nagaland. So far, only five species of water striders under the subgenus Ptilomera were known in India.
Photo: Special Arrangement
An adult (left) and a juvenile Aquatic Rhabdops were discovered from the northern Western Ghats. They usually inhabit freshwater streams.
Photo: Akshay Khandekar
Two new ginger species were discovered. Hedychium chingmeianum, from Nagaland is an epiphytic plant and grows on tall trees, while Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis from Manipur was found growing in rock crevices, boulders and humus rich soil in the Shirui Hills.
Photo: Special Arrangement
Hemidactylus kangerensis, an 8-inch lizard was discovered from Chhattisgarh’s Kanger Ghati National Park. The discovery highlights the need for dedicated surveys across the Eastern Ghats, where biodiversity has not been quantified too well.
Photo: Zeeshan Mirza
Four new balsam plants were discovered in Arunachal Pradesh during an expedition to the Eastern Himalayas.
India is home to more than 230 balsam species.
Photo: Special Arrangement
Three new species of eels were discovered along the northern Bay of Bengal coast. With these new discoveries, the Bay of Bengal coast has yielded at least five new species of eels.
Photo: Special Arrangement
Cycas pschannae and, right, Cycas dharmrajii were discovered in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This discovery takes the number of Cycas species found in the country to 14.
Photo: Special Arrangement
