Why in the News?

In December 2025, Indian scientists announced the discovery of multiple new species across diverse ecosystems, ranging from the Eastern Himalayas to the Western Ghats, highlighting India’s rich and still underexplored biodiversity.

Key New Species Discovered

Bridgeoporus kanadii

Type: Macro fungi
Discovery region: West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh
Habitat: Old growth Abies fir trees
Key features:

• Thick, leathery and massive fruiting body
• Extremely sturdy, capable of bearing human weight
  Significance:
• Indicates high fungal diversity in Eastern Himalayan forests
• Highlights ecological value of old growth conifer ecosystems

Rhinophis siruvaniensis

Type: Non venomous shieldtail snake
Family: Uropeltidae
Discovery region: Siruvani Hills, Kerala, Western Ghats
Key features:

• Fossorial or burrowing lifestyle
• Specialized tail shield for digging and protection
  Significance:
• Adds to endemic reptile diversity of the Western Ghats
• Reinforces the region as a global biodiversity hotspot

Neelus sikkimensis

Type: Springtail or Collembola
Discovery region: High altitude cold desert soils of Sikkim, Eastern Himalayas
Key features:

• Wingless arthropod with a jumping organ called furcula
• First record of the genus Neelus in India
  Significance:
• Identified by Zoological Survey of India
• Global species count of Neelus expanded to eight
• Indicates biodiversity even in extreme cold environments

Parasynnemellisia khasiana

Type: Fungus
Taxonomy: Completely new genus and species
Discovery region: Khasi Hills near Mawsynram, Meghalaya
Habitat: Dense bamboo forests in ultra high rainfall zones
Key features:

• Grows in association with bamboo ecosystems
• Adapted to one of the wettest regions on Earth
  Significance:
• Demonstrates unexplored microbial diversity of Northeast India

Dolomedes indicus

Type: Fishing spider
Discovery region: Wayanad and Lakkidi, Western Ghats, Kerala
Key features:

• Semi aquatic spider
• Can skate on water surfaces
• Hunts aquatic insects and small fish

Significance:

• First confirmed fishing spider species in India
• Highlights freshwater dependent arthropod diversity

Ophiorrhiza mizoramensis

Type: Flowering shrub
Family: Rubiaceae or coffee family
Discovery region: Murlen National Park, Mizoram
Key features:

• Grows up to one metre
• Dark purplish pink tubular flowers
• Unique stigma lobe structure

Conservation status:

• Provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered
• Fewer than 200 mature individuals recorded

Overall Significance

• Confirms India as a megadiverse country
• Highlights importance of Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats
• Strengthens case for habitat conservation and taxonomy research
• Shows climate resilient and niche specific species evolution

Prelims Pointers

• Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are global biodiversity hotspots
• New genus discovery indicates unexplored fungal diversity
• High altitude ecosystems also host unique micro fauna
• Many new species face immediate conservation threats

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