Why in the News?

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) released Version 2.0 of the Checklist of Fauna of India, documenting 105,244 species and subspecies.

Back2Basics: Zoological Survey of India

The ZSI was set up by British zoologist Thomas Nelson Annandale in 1916.
It is the premier taxonomic research organisation in India, based in Kolkata.
It was established to promote surveys, exploration and research leading to the advancement of our knowledge of various aspects of the exceptionally rich animal life of India.
The ZSI had its genesis as the Zoological Section of the Indian Museum at Calcutta in 1875.
Since its inception, the ZSI has been documenting the diversity and distribution of the fauna of India towards carrying out its mandate of conducting exploration-cum-taxonomic-research programmes.
The ZSI has published an extremely large amount of information on all animal taxa, from Protozoa to Mammalia.

- New Genus: Dravidoseps gouensis – a new genus of skink (lizard) from Western Ghats
- New Species of Snakes: Anguiculus dicaprioi – named after actor Leonardo DiCaprio, belongs to the Colubridae family
- Other Reptiles: 2 new genera and 37 new species of reptiles discovered
- Amphibians: 5 new amphibian species, including frogs from northeastern and southern India
- Other Invertebrates: Multiple new insect species, particularly among beetles, moths, flies, and bees
Highest representation among newly discovered species were insects, especially:
- Coleoptera (beetles)
- Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)
- Diptera (flies)
- Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

[2020] With reference to India’s Biodiversity, Ceylon frogmouth, Coppersmith barbet, Gray-chinned minivet and White-throated redstart are:

(a) Birds

(b) Primates

(d) Amphibians